Alpha is very much about relaxation, not just of the mind, but also of the body. Many people are very familiar with the alpha state, because it is the frequency that TV induces. This is why coming in after a hard days work and sitting in front of the TV helps to calm frayed nerves. The problem with this though, is that whilst our mind has been relaxed by the hypnotic flickering of the TV, we are constantly being bombarded with images and sound. Naturally, being relaxed means we are more open to suggestibility -- and that's where the adverts and news come into play.
With alpha binaural beats it is somewhat different, because as the audio induces the alpha state, we are not consequently hit with streams of visual information.