Journalism can be a powerful form of activism for those who
are interested in social justice and talented as writers or
public speakers. However, the journalism field is quickly
changing and it's important to balance your relative
interest in journalism and activism if you want to be
successful. Here are some suggestions to help you get
started as an activist journalist.
!! Steps !!
Define your goals [1]. It's important to know exactly what you want
before you put time and energy into building a career. There are
several questions you can ask yourself to make your goals clearer.
* Is it more important to you to make change or to advance in a
particular area of journalism? If activism is your primary goal,
and journalism [2] only the means, you may become frustrated by
working within mainstream newspapers, TV, or radio. Alternative
newspapers or online journalism may be more appropriate for you,
although you risk earning a lot less, so be prepared to either
find other sources of income or funding.
* What medium is most comfortable for you? For example, would you
rather write or be on radio [3] or camera? Do you want to be
covering breaking news or doing more in depth coverage of
important issues?
* How savvy are you with technology? Your technical talents may lead
you for example to blogging or photojournalism.
* Do you want this to be a full-time career, or only part-time? How
much money do you need to make to stay afloat? Again, journalism
is not usually a lucrative career, and you may need to mix
activist blogging [4], for example, with more neutral work that
brings in more money.
Videoblogs are great for budding documentary film makers Hone your
skills. Once you have your goals in mind, practice writing, speaking
in front of a camera or into a microphone [5], interviewing,
blogging, or whatever you plan to do. You can always use a personal
blog, videoblog, or podcast as practice and a resume builder. Take
classes where appropriate and learn the style used by journalists in
your area.
* Think about the style of writing you'd like to adopt. Activist
journalism carries with it a need to be conscious of the use of
language and its hidden meanings or ability to shape readers'
understandings. Be prepared to reclaim language that has been
altered or taken over by agendas that are not inclusive or
compassionate. Rethinking the way that language is used in
mainstream media or by lobby groups is an important skill when
you're an activist journalist.
* Read widely and question widely. It's important that you have a
broad understanding of differing perspectives in any issue that
you're going to cover. This gives your work greater reliability
[6] and makes it harder to set aside as uninformed. This requires
you to have excellent research skills and the ability to work past
your own opinions and beliefs, to try and see all of the angles
involved.
Build a portfolio [7]. If you want to get paying gigs as a
journalist, you need examples of your work. The Internet is a great
tool to get your work out there, but you can also try other venues;
for example, look for calls for submissions to magazines, write
letters to the editor, or shop content around to people you know in
the business.
Network [8] and use your resources. Networking is an extremely
powerful tool in journalism, and especially in activist circles. For
example, if you want to get hired by a big progressive blog, you can
start by getting active with social media and your own blog, leaving
friendly comments for people who write there. Ask around to see if
any of your contacts know anyone who might be useful in your job
search. Resources like the Women's Media Center support progressive
journalists and might be able to help you get a foot in the door.
Fellowships [9] are another place to turn; for example, NPR has
several great comprehensive fellowships that help young journalists
learn about the world of public radio.
* Belong to organizations that reflect your activist concerns and
beliefs. This will give you the opportunity to meet many people
who are actively working to make a difference and you'll have
plenty of interview and knowledge resources to call upon.
* Ally yourself wherever you go, and try to do this beyond people
whose ideas and causes gel with you. There are always more than
two sides to a story, and in Western society where we're trained
to see daily life in terms of argument and confrontation, it can
be too easy to lose this multiple perspective. When looking for
the multiple divergences in opinion, try to see the ways in which
you can find common ground rather than conflict [10], and find
people whose views have overlaps with your activist approach.
Often the best story draws the threads together rather than making
the story into a two-sided contest.
Become an expert in your field. Narrow your activism down to a
particular area and become an expert in it. That doesn't have to be
your only interest, but it helps if you become known as the person
to turn to on queer issues, disability, or women of color, for
example. Use an RSS reader or Google Alerts [11] to thoroughly
follow all the news in your area, and comment on it widely. Use
Twitter, blogging, etc. to get your opinion out in different ways.
* Enable readers to draw upon your expertise as a source of
developing and tailoring their own viewpoints and solutions. Make
it clear that you are facilitating understanding rather than being
the last word on an issue. The heart of activism is to enable
others to do their part to help make a difference in the world.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Don't be discouraged if it takes time to build recognition. Steady
effort over time pays off in the long run.
* Let others know about your goals. Networking only works if people
in your network know what you're trying to do and spread the word.
It is also important to be ready to help them in their work or
cause too by showcasing them where relevant and by sharing
information if possible and ethical to do so.
* Stay one step ahead of the curve by learning about new technology
such as social media, podcasting, and video blogging. Many paid
journalists today started out on a blog or first gained a
following with Twitter or Facebook.
!! Warnings !!
* Being an activist in a public sphere means that your opinions are
out there for all to hear. Keep in mind that this may affect your
ability to get a job in the future, or your perception as an
unbiased reporter if you're doing the activist side of your
journalism after-hours. Be bold, but be aware of the possible
consequences for your future employment.
* Activism online can attract trolls and other negative side
effects. Figure out a policy in advance to deal with this kind of
negative attention if you're using your own webspace for activism,
and try to deter hacking with some safeguards. Also keep a sense
of humor; it is far better to react humorously to trolling than to
react angrily or to show how much it has upset you. There is also
the avenue of ignoring the trolls too!
* If you are working in an area like human rights or unearthing
corporate misdoings, being an activist journalist can be dangerous
if a government, illegal organization, or corporation feels
threatened by possible exposure. Be aware of the potential
consequences of this type of activist journalism and protect
yourself as best you can.
!! Things You'll Need !!
* Blog or similar resource
* Good writing skills and ability to research
* Journalism training or experience (optional)
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Become an Activist [12]
* How to Be an Activist Through the Internet [13]
* How to Be a Christian Political Activist for Conservative Issues
[14]
* How to Be a Youth Anti War Activist [15]
* How to Be a Christian Activist for Leftist Issues [16]
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
Links:
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[1] http://www.wikihow.com/Accomplish-a-Goal
[2] http://www.wikihow.com/Have-a-Career-in-Journalism
[3] http://www.wikihow.com/Broadcast-Radio-from-Your-Computer
[4] http://www.wikihow.com/Become-Famous-from-Blogging
[5] http://www.wikihow.com/Image:Interestingness1.jpg
[6] http://www.wikihow.com/Check-the-Credibility-of-Political-Commentators
[7] http://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-an-Online-Career-Portfolio
[8] http://www.wikihow.com/Network
[9] http://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Residency-or-Fellowship-Vacancy
[10] http://www.wikihow.com/Manage-Conflict
[11] http://www.wikihow.com/Watch-for-Identity-Theft-Using-Google-Alerts
[12] http://www.wikihow.com/Become-an-Activist
[13] http://www.wikihow.com/Be-an-Activist-Through-the-Internet
[14] http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Christian-Political-Activist-for-Conservative-Issues
[15] http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Youth-Anti-War-Activist
[16] http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Christian-Activist-for-Leftist-Issues
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