Part three in a four-part series on independent media and how it reflects mainstream media.
In this conversation, I speak with @MediaStudied again about the lanes that support the current power structure and why it has become increasingly necessary for media to cater to those lanes.
In the context of how people of color (Black people specifically) fit into these lanes, historically it has always been about how we can serve one of those lanes. The moment you challenge your lane, you're likely to get similar treatment as you would in any of the other lanes be it the Democratic establishment lane, the Republican establishment lane, or the "anti-establishment" establishment lane.
Which leads us to the question of access to platforms? Well, the answer is, so long as you say what they want to hear, you can access any of these three lanes. The moment you challenge it -- even the so-called anti-establishment lane -- you either lose access or that media company runs the risk of losing the demographic it serves.
All of this is applicable to politics and policy. All of this underscores the importance of identity.