At the Intersection of Mainstream & Alternative Media: Spygate & the Hannity Rant

The following paper explores the establishment of credibility by two forms of alternative media: (1) a traditional alternative media site, and (2) an alternative media program embedded within a mainstream channel. We engaged in a qualitative content analysis of the program Declassified produced by E...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of communication inquiry 2021-07, Vol.45 (3), p.209-224
Main Authors: Atkinson, Joshua D., Ingman, Krystal, Pierandozzi, John Paul-Jones, Stump, Patrick
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Content analysis
Credibility
Media
Mimicry
Qualitative analysis
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Summary:The following paper explores the establishment of credibility by two forms of alternative media: (1) a traditional alternative media site, and (2) an alternative media program embedded within a mainstream channel. We engaged in a qualitative content analysis of the program Declassified produced by Epoch Times and circulated via YouTube, and the program Hannity broadcast by Fox News. In particular, we focused on the claims made by the hosts, and the sources that they provided in their reports. We found that the host of the former worked to overcome an alternative journalism credibility gap by engaging in mainstream news mimicry, while the host of the latter largely relied on the credibility that came from being embedded in a mainstream channel. Overall, these findings hold important implications for the construction of credibility through alternative media channels that are increasingly influencing mainstream political discourse.
ISSN:0196-8599
1552-4612
DOI:10.1177/0196859920961027