Few people know that the last two decades have seen unprecedented corporate media consolidation. The U.S. media was already fairly homogeneous in the early 1980s—some fifty media conglomerates dominated all media outlets, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, music, publishing and film. In the year 2000, just six corporations dominated nearly 90% of all U.S. media. That figure remains true to this day.
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In addition, corporate media outlets in the U.S. are legally responsible to their shareholders to maximize profits. It is not the idea of corporate media itself that is ultimately a bad thing, for it can foster healthy competition and provide a check against government insider agendas. However, the concern is that the concentration of ownership with a bias toward the prevailing economic and political influences leads to a break down of unaccountability and abuse of power. Creating transparency through a number of diverse perspectives has dwindled, contributing to a hegemonic narrative.
As a growing counter-culture to corporate media, Edge Media seeks to amplify the voices of social justice, end discrimination, democratize the viewpoints of socio-political commentary, and bring greater transparency to the imbalances in the mainstream media. Forms of Edge Media include, but are not limited to, radical media, dissident and social movement media, ethnic/racial media, indigenous media, community media, subcultural media, student media, and avant-garde media.
Operating at the media’s edge, these forms of progressive reporting dig beneath manipulative, “shock value” headlines to bring more insightful and accurate reporting to illuminate social consciousness through journalistic balance. NNF supports forms of Edge Media because it is independent and publically owned. These broadcasts are funded either entirely or almost completely through contributions from listeners, viewers, and foundations, without accepting advertisers, corporate underwriting, or government funding. This allows media to maintain its independence.
Edge Media is paramount in its ability to give a platform to information from across many sectors, inclusive of independent and international journalists and experts, and ordinary people who are affected by world events, grassroots leaders and peace activists, academics, artists and unbiased analysts. It allows space for contentious debates, uncensored reporting, and critical thinking. With Edge Media, a far more integrative view of world affairs emerges from a wide range of sources.
