Democracy Now! Decolonising US News Media

Abstract

U.S. news media has been colonized, captured within the nexus of corporate and state power that characterizes modern imperialism. Abdicating its historic role as a watchdog of the powerful, seemingly incapable of ferreting out truth from lies, and unwilling to provide a robust and inclusive forum for public debate, contemporary American journalism is in a profound state of crisis (McChesney, 2004). This paper considers the role an emerging independent media sector has played in revitalizing American journalistic form and practice. Specifically, this essay examines Democracy Now! – a daily news program that challenges the hegemony of corporate news media.

Following a concise overview of recent failures of the corporate press, from reporting during the lead up to the US-led invasion of Iraq to the silencing of dissident voices at home and abroad, this paper proceeds with an analysis of the journalistic philosophy and news routines employed by Democracy Now! Here, I place special emphasis on participatory journalism and the innovative uses of technology that contribute to the success of Democracy Now! The essay concludes with some thoughts on the part Democracy Now! plays in promoting participatory democracy, amplifying voices of dissent, and legitimating an oppositional stance toward American neo-imperialism.