With this increase in popularity comes an influx of news websites reporting hundreds of stories daily. However, while the amount of websites has increased, their biases have also, and it’s difficult to come by a website that isn’t hawking an agenda (or two).
The number of Americans who access national and international news online increased 67 percent in the past six years (Pew Research Center Survey, 2008). Not surprisingly, more and more people are turning to the web for their news and are abandoning more traditional means, such as newspapers and cable news. With this increase in popularity comes an influx of news websites reporting hundreds of stories daily. However, while the amount of websites has increased, their biases have also, and it’s difficult to come by a website that isn’t hawking an agenda (or two). In the absence of concrete objectiveness, mainstream websites are neglecting to report countless stories that paint an increasingly disturbing portrait of the world. Last June, Islamic Insights shared with you the Top Five News Stories Neglected by the Media.
Now we’re bringing you a list of five news and analysis websites you should really know about, so you too can be an informed and responsible global citizen:
Democracy Now!: Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez have taken their daily radio show online and continue to present an alternative news sources to thousands of readers. Democracy Now! is an award-winning and independent news program that strives to bring to viewers/readers stories that have been buried by the corporate controlled media.
The Angry Arab News Service: This blog is great for finding a wide range of hard-hitting stories concerning the Middle East. Although we don’t endorse every opinion held on this blog, we still enjoy reading the posts and checking out the many links posted daily on the blog.
Truthout: Truthout has remained for many years a force to be reckoned with among alternative news websites – and we mean that in a good way. The finest among true journalists contribute on a regular basis to this website, and it is considered one of the most reliable and diverse in nature and content.
FAIR: Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting: FAIR has been providing readers with solid and documented criticism of the US media since the 1980s. FAIR’s studies are among the very few that objectively analyze the media’s disregard for accuracy and integrity. A powerful report was published in 2008 regarding Islam and the US elections, and another study focused on how the media manipulates even human suffering: “Human Rights Coverage Serving Washington’s Needs: FAIR finds editors downplaying Colombia’s abuses, amplifying Venezuela’s” (February 2009). We also love FAIR for calling the New York Times out a few times for their openly inaccurate reporting when it comes to Palestine.
Islamic Insights: Ignoring the obvious, there are countless reasons why Islamic Insights deserves to be on the list of websites you need to know about. Islamic Insights has countless syndication deals with independent organizations and media websites in addition to a team of writers dedicated to bring you the real news. Very few online venues have been able to address problems that affect a diverse group of communities like Islamic Insights has in its coverage of Gaza, Iran, Iraq, Islam in the West, human rights violations in Saudi Arabia, and the otherwise ignored massacres of civilians in Yemen, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
JohnPilger.com: John Pilger is a legend and the benchmark for all filmmakers in the year 2010. Having produced countless documentaries such as Breaking the Silence: Truth and Lies in the War on Terror and Paying The Price: Killing the Children of Iraq, Pilger continues to combat ignorance and the corporate media’s hold on our views and judgments. His website also features a blog including his most recent op-ed pieces, in addition to links to other websites.
Keep in mind that while we are huge fans of the websites above, Islamic Insights doesn’t necessarily endorse any of the views presented on these sites. Here are a few more websites we think our readers would like to be made aware of: AhlulBayt Islamic Mission, Relief Web, New American Media, and Political Theatrics.
