Democracy Now!
"Democracy Now! is a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program airing on over 140 stations in North America.Pioneering the largest public media collaboration in the U.S., Democracy Now! is broadcast on Pacifica, community, and National Public Radio stations, public access cable television stations, satellite television (on Free Speech TV,  channel 9415 of the DISH Network), shortwave radio and the internet.  The program is hosted by award-winning  journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez  and produced out of the Downtown Community Television Center, a community media center in New York City’s Chinatown (shown to the right)."

American Prospect
"Our mission, simply put, is to rise to the momentous occasion that confronts all Americans who seek a just society built on our greatest traditions. Contemporary conservatism stands to thwart those traditions; it advances its agenda by way of stealth, fear-mongering, and a massive propaganda apparatus. It is our mission to expose that agenda and the lies that support it."

Cursor.org
"Cursor combines original material with a daily-updated media and politics Web log that  comments upon and links to
the work of major news  organizations, as well as to other critical, independent  voices published on theInternet -- contextualizing the day's news in a broader  fashion than what is available   from the mainstream media.   In addition, Cursor contains links to hundreds of  magazines, newspapers and stand alone Web sites, with an emphasis on media  criticism and media research. Cursor also has a Twin Cities edition that has been published since 1997 and focuses on media activities in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area."

Truth.Out
"An on-line journal that gives information about world events from reporters not beholden to big business or the government for a paycheck.  Covers many events, from invasion of Iraq to affirmative action.  Focuses mainly on U.S. news while coverage of other countries exists."

Alternet.org
"AlterNet.org is a project of the Independent Media Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening and supporting independent and alternative journalism. First launched in 1998, AlterNet's online magazine provides a mix of  news, opinion and investigative journalism on subjects ranging from the environment, the drug war, technology and cultural trends to policy debate, sexual politics and health issues. The AlterNet article database  includes more than 7,000 stories from over 200 sources."

The Guardian
"If you want to know what's going on in the world from conventional sources, do not turn to U.S. news.  Mainstream papers in the US have reporters beholden to Mutinational Corporations (because they are owned by them) and the government.  Thus, the news we receive is filtered to maintain the perspective of those in power.  There are some conventional newspapers that attempt to avoid co-optation.  Overall, the Guardian does a good job.  This paper is published in the U.K."

The Nation
"The Nation is the oldest weekly in the country.  It's existence dates from 1865.  The Nation consistently provides alternative points of view of current events.  The periodical exists on-line and in hard-copy, commonly with different articles in each.  Notable editorials by Katha Pollit and Patricia Williams often add a gender/race twist that is sometimes lacking.  Yet, sometimes this journal lacks a much needed critique of heterosexuality, gender, and/or race."

In These Times
Like the periodical above,  In These Times offers an altnerative perspective about current events.  You can also get this on-line or on hard copy by subscribing.

Ms.
"Ms. debuted in 1971 with Wonder Woman on the cover.   Its founders hoped to provide feminst readers the opportunity to understand news from an alternative perspective.  They do a pretty good job, especially compared to the male-dominated staffs on other periodicals, of addressing issues of race, gender and sexuality.  The magazine also provides links to wonderful resources related to issues of oppression."

Off Our Backs
This journal gives you interesting information about women with a (sometimes) pretty radical spin.   Once again, available hard copy too.  Here’s what the editors say about the journal:  “Off our backs is a news journal by, for, and about women. It has been published continuously since 1970, making it is the longest surviving feminist newspaper in the United States. It is run by a collective where all decisions are made by consensus.”

Z magazine
This magazine gives you access to some alternative spins to what’s happening in the political world.   The editors say that Z,“founded in (1988), is an independent monthly of critical thinking on political, cultural,  social, an economic life in the U.S. Z Magazine is available in print and online.”

Mother Jones
Named after the radical union miners’ organizer, this magazine (like Z) boasts, “A legacy of raising hell, a commitment to journalism.”

Utne Reader
This journal is the Readers’ Digest of the progressive world.   Articles are never too long and are gleaned from journals internationally.     The journal is named after the founder, Eric Utne.   And although I’m always suspicious of anyone who names something after her/himself, I find myself enjoying the magazine.