SKWAWKBOX in the news – Buzzfeed and the ‘alt-left’ media

The SKWAWKBOX trailed last week that a major online publication was preparing an article about the blog and other left-wing online media. Today, Buzzfeed’s Jim Waterson has published the article, titled:

The article looks at the importance of publications such as The Canary, Another Angry Voice and Evolve – and, of course, the SKWAWKBOX – in balancing the media mix and presenting an alternative view. It even ends by suggesting that reviews of these media should be included in the BBC’s review of daily newspapers, arguing that they include the right-wing end of the spectrum, so why not publications like this blog.

Of course, we’re not ‘alt-left’ when the ‘alt-right’ consists of publications that essentially make stuff up and promote a blinkered, bigoted mentality. We’re just ‘left’ – a left that can see the Establishment media are presenting everything with its own agenda and sees the need for someone to put the other side of the story.

To present the same facts, as Waterson observes, and show that they don’t have to be viewed through a ‘Corbyn is crap’ filter – they just are, by the mainstream, for their own political purposes.

The article also identifies the SKWAWKBOX as something of a trailblazer, in that this blog has developed its own high-level sources to bring information that might not otherwise be available – and identifies the waves the blog has made among the Labour right.

One thing that Jim did seem very surprised by during our conversation – and which is touched on in the article but not in the depth we discussed it – is that the SKWAWKBOX receives no funding from Corbyn’s office or the Unite union. It appears that someone must have told him that the blog does receive funding, but if they honestly think so, they’re wrong.

In fact, the SKWAWKBOX receives no funding from anyone – except the donations given on the page by those who wish to support it. As an earlier SKWAWKBOX article makes clear, we even pay extra to remove even WordPress ads from our pages, to ensure that nobody is discouragedby ads  from reading the important information we try to get into the public consciousness.

Toward the end of the article, which quotes the SKWAWKBOX substantially in its second half, Waterson suggests the ‘alt-left’ media will face a problem in how to proceed if poor election results ‘puncture [our] narrative’. Of course, the SKWAWKBOX wants and expects people to recognise that the Tories are destroying what’s good in this country and to kick them out – but if they don’t, it won’t change the narrative of a ‘surging people’s movement’ at all.

Because it’s there and just needs to surge bigger and higher – big enough and high enough to counteract the constant Establishment attempts to write off and undermine the resurgent Left that is embodied by, but not limited to, Jeremy Corbyn.

Nobody said it would be easy.

All in all, it’s a balanced and very interesting article, so please take a look – but do make sure you support the publications mentioned. We’re more essential than ever – and as the article shows, we’re having an impact.

The SKWAWKBOX is provided free of charge but depends on the generosity of its readers to be viable. If you found this information helpful and can afford to, please do click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal. Thanks for your support so this blog can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.