Portuguese Alternative Media in the Platform Era

Complexity and Innovation in Fumaça and Divergente

Abstract

This article explores the structural innovation of Portuguese alternative media by analyzing the degree of complexity in content and form of two standout projects: Fumaça and Divergente. Building on a previous mapping of alternative media in Portugal (Ganito & Ferreira, 2024), this study narrows its focus to those outlets that most distinctly diverge from mainstream practices through their innovative approaches to storytelling and journalistic formats. Using qualitative content analysis, we assess how these projects embody the concept of alternative media as theorized by Sandoval & Fuchs (2011), with particular attention to narrative depth, multimedia integration, and thematic diversity. Our findings show that Fumaça and Divergente leverage digital affordances to produce in-depth, investigative, and narrative journalism that amplifies underrepresented voices and explores topics often overlooked by traditional media But in the ever-changing platformization landscape, these innovations also present new challenges, such as audience reach and sustainability. This paper contributes to a better understanding of how alternative media actors in Portugal are redefining the parameters of journalistic practice and addressing the more general issues of the platform era by analyzing the interaction between structural complexity, innovation, and the limitations of the digital ecosystem.