This contribution analyses the nexus between contemporary US populist nationalism and the post-global media ecology through the case of US radio show host and ‘most paranoid man in America’ Alex Jones and his Infowars. It evaluates the role of Alt Right alternative/activist media and global digital platforms in the success of Jones as ideological entrepreneur. To this end, it looks at Jones’ and Infowars' message (mostly Falls Flag conspiracy theories and pseudo-science-meets-popular-culture fantasy), persona as celebrity populist spectacle, business model, political alliances with Alt Right and Trump, audience as diverse mix of believers and ironic spectators and, most of all, media. In particular, we analyse the mix of legacy and social media and their respective role in his rise and alleged downfall. We evaluate Jones’ efforts as effective ideological entrepreneur, pushing his counter-hegemonic ideology from the fringes to the mainstream.
Achterberg P, de Koster W and van der Waal J (2017) A science confidence gap: Education, trust in scientific methods, and trust in scientific institutions in the United States 2014. Public Understanding of Science 26(6): 704–720.
2.
Avlon J (2010) Wingnuts: How the lunatic fringe is hijacking America. New York, NY: Beast Books.
3.
Atton C (2006) Far right media on the internet: Culture, discourse and power. New Media and Society 8(4): 573–587.
4.
AupersS (2012) ‘Trust no one’: Modernization, paranoia and conspiracy culture. European Journal of Communication27(1): 22–34.
5.
BarkunM (2013) A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America, Oakland, CA: University of California Press.
DurkheimE (1897/1951) Suicide: A Study in Sociology, New York: The Free Press.
14.
Gattinara PC and Pirro ALP (2018) The far right as social movement. European Societies. 21(4): 447–462. DOI: 10.1080/14616696.2018.1494301.
15.
GuardinoMSnyderD (2013) The Tea Party and the crisis of neoliberalism: Mainstreaming new right populism in the corporate news media. New Political Science34(4): 527–548.
16.
HeikkiläN (2017) Online antagonism of the alt-right in the 2016 election. European Journal of American Studies12(2): 1–22.
LinJL (2017) Antifeminism online: MGTOW (men going their own way). In: FrömmingUUKöhnSFoxS, et al.(eds) Digital Environments. Ethnographic Perspectives across Global Online and Offline Spaces, Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag, pp. 77–96.
PowerfulJRE (2017) Joe Rogan Experience #911 Alex Jones. YouTube, 1 February. Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZPCp8SPfOM (accessed 23 September 2019).
35.
RightWingWatchdotorg (2017) Alex Jones says he had over 150 women by the time he turned 16. YouTube, 24 April. Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWdqqEwGPXc (accessed 23 September 2019).
36.
RobertsonDG (2015) Silver bullets and seed banks: A material analysis of conspiracist millennialism. Nova Religio19(2): 83–99.
37.
Rolingher DA and Bunnage L (2017) Did the Tea Party movement fuel the Trump-train? The role of social media in activist persistence and political change in the 21st century. Social Media + Society 3: 1–11.
38.
ScotchieJA (2017) The Paleo Conservatives: New Voice of the Old Right, New York, NY: Routledge.
Sengul K (2019) Populism, democracy, political style and post-truth: Issues for communication research. Communication, Research and Practice. 5(1): 88–101.
Storr VH (2011) North’s underdeveloped ideological entrepreneur. In: The annual proceedings of the wealth and well-being of nations (ed. E Chamlee-Wright E), pp. 99–115. Beloit: Beloit College.
SunsteinCR (2007) Republic.com 2.0, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
45.
Tehee J (2018) Controversial radio host brings his conspiracy theorist brand of talk to Fresno. The Fresno Bee, 24 October. Available at: www.fresnobee.com/entertainment/article220551670.html (accessed 23 September 2019).
