Disloyal audiences and usage of alternative media content

In today’s society, alternative media are emerging as an essential source of information and news. However, these platforms have limited control, as any user can be a news source, so the news ecosystem is noticeably changing, and informational phenomena and processes are emerging that alter the audiences. This article presents research aimed at identifying the causes of the formation of the so-called disloyal audience and the specifics of their use of alternative media content. The article is based on a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with Lithuanian media users who identify themselves as users of alternative media and do not trust the mass media, which they refer to as official media. Research results indicate that mistrust of the mass media is only one of the reasons audiences choose alternative media. Informants defined the most outstanding value and satisfaction of alternative media usage for them as receiving engaging, close content presented in a style they liked.