Abstract
The late 1990s saw the global rebirth of an independent media movement of a magnitude and strength not seen since the 1970s. Both the escalation of anti-corporate-globalisation sentiment and the establishment of the IndyMedia online network can be seen as strong catalysts for a media activism that is characterised by the desire to encourage widespread participation in the media-making process. ‘Participatory media’ is based in the democratic philosophy that anybody has the right to tell their own story, and aims to encourage media diversity by breaking down the information stronghold held by a small number of large and powerful media corporations. This essay examines the way in which the internet has contributed to the facilitation of a greater diversity of views, news, opinions and voices into the public domain.
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