Making it as a Radical Journalist?

[Capitalist Octopus]

I'm a 20yo uni student. People always ask me what I want to do with my degree. For a while I've been telling them that I'm not sure yet, that I'll go with the flow, that I'll see what happens.

But I've also known for a while that what I've been saying is bullshit. I know exactly what I want to do, and that's to write. To write articles, columns, books, be on the radio, etc. I just haven't been admitting it because I'm scared that I'll fail.

Thus far, I've done a pretty good job. Any success I've had has been self created. I've been published in national papers, had a column with two more coming up, and received some praise for my writing.

My question is though, how can I really make it as a radical journalist? Radical in the sense of my views, and in the sense of my direct action involvement.

So far what I've done is to write for my audience. I don't change my message, or opinions, but maybe just the presentation. So when I'm writing about something for the school paper I can be a bit more radical sounding [or radical topics], when I'm writing for a small town paper, I change it up a bit.

I guess my concern is getting hired somewhere. Even as an internship. Alot of the bigger places serve a very liberal aduience, or right of center. Or they're focused almost exclusively on party politics. Think places like the Huffington Post. How do I crack through that?

I mean, I know some people pretty close to my age doing similar things, but I find maybe it's easier for them? They're conservatives, or Liberal party members, and so it's easier to find an audience, or place willing to publish them.

If you have any advice/thoughts/similar problems, please let me know?

[Clifford C Clavin]

Forget about it. It's basically impossible to make a living as a journalist nowadays, even if you have connections (which is a much more important requirement than a diploma). Add to that your wish to be "radical" and your options are about none. Find a job you can stand to pay your bills, then write leaflets and internet postings. About as close as you'll get in 2012!

[Capitalist Octopus]

I don't think that's true. Enough people make a living off of being a journalist, though it may not be a clear process like a doctor would be. In the sense that you'll do a lot of free lancing, weird jobs, etc.

I also don't think the idea that the transition from print to online journalism means that there's going to be a massive loss of jobs. I focus almost exclusively on opinion writing. While pure news may be reduced in the future due to online sources, I think analysis and commentary will always be valued, and even become more prominent.

Basically I'm willing to take my chances.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Get a job first, than gradually turn towards radicalism.Either that or find a publisher which is radical in itself.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Get a job first, than gradually turn towards radicalism.Either that or find a publisher which is radical in itself.

This link might help you some...

http://www.revleft.com/vb/getting-into-journalism-t153299/index.html?t=153299&highlight=Journalism

[Clifford C Clavin]

I also don't think the idea that the transition from print to online journalism means that there's going to be a massive loss of jobs.

Already has bud. Where have you been?

http://www.newstatesman.com/newspapers/2010/09/journalism-job-mainstream

[Capitalist Octopus]

Note how it says decline in mainstream jobs.
I think it's more accurate to say there's a shift in jobs, not necessarily a massive loss.

[The Douche]

Depends what you mean by "make it", but most radical journalists are not making any sort of living, they're relying on organizations to support them in return for their labor.

[Ele'ill]

I'm a 20yo uni student. People always ask me what I want to do with my degree. For a while I've been telling them that I'm not sure yet, that I'll go with the flow, that I'll see what happens.

But I've also known for a while that what I've been saying is bullshit. I know exactly what I want to do, and that's to write. To write articles, columns, books, be on the radio, etc. I just haven't been admitting it because I'm scared that I'll fail.

Thus far, I've done a pretty good job. Any success I've had has been self created. I've been published in national papers, had a column with two more coming up, and received some praise for my writing.

My question is though, how can I really make it as a radical journalist? Radical in the sense of my views, and in the sense of my direct action involvement.

So far what I've done is to write for my audience. I don't change my message, or opinions, but maybe just the presentation. So when I'm writing about something for the school paper I can be a bit more radical sounding [or radical topics], when I'm writing for a small town paper, I change it up a bit.

I guess my concern is getting hired somewhere. Even as an internship. Alot of the bigger places serve a very liberal aduience, or right of center. Or they're focused almost exclusively on party politics. Think places like the Huffington Post. How do I crack through that?

I mean, I know some people pretty close to my age doing similar things, but I find maybe it's easier for them? They're conservatives, or Liberal party members, and so it's easier to find an audience, or place willing to publish them.

If you have any advice/thoughts/similar problems, please let me know?

But part of the fun of being a journalist is toughing it in the weather/riot-zones with no food while living with people going through it, or in a tent, just to capture the story to reveal situations so truth is known. I don't think being a journalist is an occupation so much as it is what you do because you feel you have to given your skills and what you believe.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Do some travelling. As Mariel says, and as I can imagine, some of the best journalism from the radical end is not from those regurgitating old Marx quotes or whatever, but those who are cutting-edge, incisive and tell us something we don't know.

Something I really respect is the various Ross Kemp television series' on gangs, on environmental change, on prisons and so on. He may be a political nobody and his views may not be agreeable, but he's fucking brave, inquisitive and because of that, even if you disagree with the conclusions he draws, his work is particularly informative and interesting. You can take a lot out of it, which at the end of the day is the sign of successful reporting/journalism.

Of course, i'm not a journo or a reporter, so really this is just a lay opinion.