With all the discussion about how dire things are in the mainstream press, it's nice to hear about one corner of journalism that seems to be flourishing in the new digital environment — namely the alternative weeklies and websites covering local news, music and entertainment.
"We actually in some ways have skipped over some of the mess that the mainstream media made of themselves in the digital space, which has been so awesome," said Tiffany Shackelford, executive director of the Association for Alternative Newsmedia. "And, we're going mobile first, digital first, thinking about smart partnerships with startups. So we are there now but maybe came, as my father said, "went around our ass to get to our elbow."
She talked candidly to It's All Journalism producers Megan Cloherty and Michael O'Connell about some of the challenges alternative newsmedia is facing but also their many successes.
"What I've been saying a lot is 'smart' is the new alternative. We're writing long form, but it's still popular," Shackelford said. "Kids love it, believe it or not. And we're writing really smart pieces that speak truth to power."
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