Network-Based Alternative Media in Türkiye: A Phenomenological Study from the Perspective of Media Managers
Romaya Journal: Researches on Multidisciplinary Approaches, cilt.2026, sa.2, 2026 (Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 2026 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Dergi Adı: Romaya Journal: Researches on Multidisciplinary Approaches
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Alternative media, Digital journalism, Editorial autonomy, Media capture, Networked media
- Uşak Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study examines how digital-born media managers in Türkiye interpret the demand for alternative media and how they justify their claims to “alternativeness” within a politically and economically constrained media environment. The study does not directly measure audience behavior; rather, it analyzes how the concepts of demand and “alternativeness” are constructed within managerial discourse under conditions of media capture and platform dependency. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted between January 14 and January 24, 2025, with media managers from Gazete Duvar, Gazete Pencere, Medyascope, T24, and Journo. The data were analyzed through a phenomenological reduction process that included verbatim transcription, identification of significant statements, line-by-line coding, and clustering of meaning units into themes using Maxqda 2024. The analysis resulted in four main themes: the definition and perception of alternativeness, social impact and public sphere formation, managerial interpretations of audience demand, and structural constraints. Findings indicate that managers frame alternative media as addressing audiences from diverse political positions who seek reliable, non-mainstream journalism. However, alternativeness does not emerge as a fixed identity but as a negotiated positioning. While some outlets strategically adopt the label, others reject it and emphasize professional journalism instead. In the Turkish context, alternativeness appears less as a structural category and more as a positioning practice shaped by political polarization, economic precarity, and regimes of algorithmic visibility. The study contributes to the literature by shifting the discussion of alternative media from normative definitions to managerial meaning-making within a constrained media ecosystem.