Getting into journalism as an anti capitalist?

[727Goon]

I love to write and I'm wondering how I could make it a career. Is it possible to be a journalist and be an anti capitalist at the same time since the mainstream media is pretty much propaganda for the bourgeois? Is it possible today to be a socialist and a journalist at the same time?
I'm an 18 year old single father just scraping by right now, I work two jobs and dropped out. However I'm about to get my diploma through a program and I'm going to pursue being a paramedic or firefighter. Thats another dream I've always had and if I even become a journalist I'd still volunteer as a firefighter or emt. What steps should I take to become an anti-capitalist journalist, and is that even possible?

[mosfeld]

Might not be what you're looking for, but, there have been several highly influential international reporters from leftist backgrounds. One of them was Edgar Snow (RIP), who was the first foreign journalist to go to China to report on the then unknown "red bandits". The "classical account of the birth of Chinese communism", "Red Star Over China (http://www.amazon.com/Red-Star-over-China-Communism/dp/0802150934/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303191700&sr=1-1)", was produced from the years he spent there.

I know that the RCP,USA (though not the ideal party today, imo) has several professional communist journalists (for their newspaper). One of them is Li Onesto (http://www.revleft.com/vb/li-onesto-report-t153251/index.html), who I learned about today, who, similar to Edgar Snow, was the first foreign journalist to enter guerrilla territory in Nepal and produced the book "Dispatches from the People's War in Nepal (http://www.amazon.com/Dispatches-Peoples-War-Nepal-Onesto/dp/0745323405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303191716&sr=1-1)".

In 1986, Carol Andreas (RIP), a radical feminist and communist, went to Peru to report on the People's War in Peru and particularly the role of women and subsequently wrote the book "When Women Rebel: The Rise of Popular Feminism in Peru (http://www.amazon.com/When-Women-Rebel-Popular-Feminism/dp/0882081977)"

My point is basically that you can serve revolution by being a journalist/reporter, though I have no idea what process you have to through to become one ;)

[manic expression]

You can also add Herbert Matthews to that list...although he wasn't himself a very ideologically committed leftist, his sympathetic reports on the Spanish Republicans and later the Cuban Revolution were quite significant.

One thing to bear in mind is that journalism as a profession isn't doing too well. Newspapers are shriveling up and dying, TV and radio aren't bastions of real journalism, the internet doesn't pay so well. But regardless I think it's a great aspiration and you should follow what you want to do no matter what. And honestly, just about every profession has terrible prospects right now, even lawyers are getting squeezed and laid off. Look to land an internship at a newspaper, magazine, etc...talk to journalists about what's the best way to pursue a career in the field (and network with them). Best of luck!

[synthesis]

I love to write and I'm wondering how I could make it a career. Is it possible to be a journalist and be an anti capitalist at the same time since the mainstream media is pretty much propaganda for the bourgeois? Is it possible today to be a socialist and a journalist at the same time?
I'm an 18 year old single father just scraping by right now, I work two jobs and dropped out. However I'm about to get my diploma through a program and I'm going to pursue being a paramedic or firefighter. Thats another dream I've always had and if I even become a journalist I'd still volunteer as a firefighter or emt. What steps should I take to become an anti-capitalist journalist, and is that even possible?

Socialist journalism is very necessary but also not really a fertile field for a career that will guarantee that you can provide for your family. If you don't have any DUIs, I'd say focus on the firefighting first and build up a nice portfolio for yourself with your spare time.

[Wanted Man]

Yes of course, the examples of people who have done the same thing in history are legion. Just don't expect to get the chance to propagate much.

[The Idler]

A lot of journalists in Britain began by writing for socialist journals. Good luck.

[Bitter Ashes]

Local papers worth a try?

[Ele'ill]

I would think about the purpose of journalism. To record activities and report back to an audience. As a career it's extremely competitive and the schooling involved- beyond the basics of writing- isn't necessary- and this is well talked about and agreed on by many people in the field. How to be a journalist? Do it yourself. Attend events locally and write up a response- use a blog and keep hard copies. Perhaps submit them to a local paper after you get into the groove. Know of a pretty big event going on somewhere else? Fly out there- network with local churches in that area or with activists there that can give you a place to stay etc.. Balance the two- local and elsewhere- start to learn how to manage your time and develop a personal system of doing. I would suggest you keep a full time or 'main' job and do this on the side. Stringer work can be picked up but I think you'd be better off working for yourself as an independent journalist.

This can give you a lot of experience- be used as a self created 'internship' and help you decide if it's something you really want to do.


Most importantly- take yourself seriously.

[MarxSchmarx]

Start contributing to your local indymedia outlet If your area doesn't have an indymedia site, start one!

and be disciplined about it (i.e., commit to contributing one article every two weeks at first, then one article every week, and so on). And read. Read vociferously, and be prepared to spend more time reading than writing. Read the articles from indymedia in other areas, and read the "mainstream" leftist publications (in English a few examples are Mother Jones, even Guardian) as well as the half decent ones likes the CPGB paper and Z.

With repetition you will get very good and efficient at producing stories people want to read (or hear or watch?) to the point where you might be able to entertain doing some limited freelance work. Most anti-capitalist media outlets don't have full time journalists, at least in the English speaking world and rely heavily on volunteer and freelance contributions. This isn't likely to change anytime soon.

Anyway, you aren't there yet and it will take years of trial and error. Realize that most people who get paid to do journalism do so after years of unpaid work for example at their school newspaper. Your objective would be to build up a strong portfolio to attract editors, ads and donors.

What would be key going forward if you want to make a living at this, and actually make a difference, is going to learn how to make good web content. Learn the technical skills necessary to produce a slick news site - a key element both in print and online is graphic design. Reuters' I think has superb multimedia online content and you should have the ability to put something like their online site together.

[727Goon]

Socialist journalism is very necessary but also not really a fertile field for a career that will guarantee that you can provide for your family. If you don't have any DUIs, I'd say focus on the firefighting first and build up a nice portfolio for yourself with your spare time.

Yeah this is my plan just focus on that as a career and keep writing in my spare time and see how far it takes me.

[727Goon]

I would think about the purpose of journalism. To record activities and report back to an audience. As a career it's extremely competitive and the schooling involved- beyond the basics of writing- isn't necessary- and this is well talked about and agreed on by many people in the field. How to be a journalist? Do it yourself. Attend events locally and write up a response- use a blog and keep hard copies. Perhaps submit them to a local paper after you get into the groove. Know of a pretty big event going on somewhere else? Fly out there- network with local churches in that area or with activists there that can give you a place to stay etc.. Balance the two- local and elsewhere- start to learn how to manage your time and develop a personal system of doing. I would suggest you keep a full time or 'main' job and do this on the side. Stringer work can be picked up but I think you'd be better off working for yourself as an independent journalist.

This can give you a lot of experience- be used as a self created 'internship' and help you decide if it's something you really want to do.


Most importantly- take yourself seriously.

Thanks for the advice that's what I'm gonna start doing once I improve my writing a little bit.

[Susurrus]

Remember, Marx himself started off as a journalist.