J: is for Journalism

Beketele Hlanze

Beketele Hlanze African students are inspired to be journos whilst the continent is in dire need of doctors and honest politicians

Whenever I read the quality traits of a journalist, from career choice books the word “inquisitive” always came up, I wouldn’t use it to describe myself. Instead I’d rather say that my curiosity is naturally inquisitive. An accurate and fitting description for anyone who is passionate about journalism and is a dedicated media practitioner, in the first week of journalism lectures this term under the course title “I read what I like” part of the answer as to why as student we would want to be journalist in the future. Was that journalist are tools of knowledge, they find knowledge then report back it to the consumers. This is where the inquisitive curiosity comes in, the will to find knowledge leads to the eagerness to find interesting knowledge that is desired and anticipated by the consumers. This applies for all sectors of journalism, economic, political, tabloid, hard news even climate/weather journalism. One of the things that make this field interesting is the method of finding and reporting the knowledge, in the beginning of the year we were taught the technique of immersing. In layman’s terms this is eavesdropping but as journalist it is an imperative tool of investigating. There is a sense of freedom that can be attributed to journalism that isn’t enjoyed by many professions, accountants, creative freedom. Noted there are constraints such as accuracy and moral code. But those limits help to sharpen creativity. An inquisitive curiosity means that as journalist, one questions, analyses and interrogates what ever information or knowledge they find out. This quality transcends into daily life and is very effective in making informed decisions.

It is for many reasons that one would be steered away from practicing as a journalist, more than once I’ve been laughed at, because the general consensus is that journalism does not pay. Given, very few professions can compete with an accountant’s salary. It is enough imbursement if one can, against all economic reason have the opportunity to practice in a field that one is passionate about. The support from family to go into a job that is perceived by many to be based on lies and deceit and is seen to be dangerous. Is all the more reason why journalism is the perfect career path for some of us. Journalism allows one the opportunity to have a socially appealing voice as a social commentator. Meaning that one can impact, positively, the live of those who don’t have the voice or the means to voice their grievances on socio-economic/political issues. It might not be financial power but through journalism ones social influence is an endless well.

the world according to Sara Garrun

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"Those who think see the world as comic, those who feel see the world as tragic"- John Irving, “The World according to TS. Garp.”
Have you ever thought of how you see the world? Do you want to write about it as I do? I believe it is only through language and writing that we are able to stop ourselves from disappearing into a world that is filled with the commentary of others. It is essential for everyone to express themselves in some way and blogging can be an idyllic medium.
As students of journalism we all have aspirations to change the world, but the more we might fail in even the smallest of endeavours, the more I realise my goal as a journalist is simply for my writing to be filled with seemliness and integrity, and with this, change will surely follow. Our blog deals with issues that constitute our everyday lives - who we are, where we come from and what is affecting the people around us today. It does not matter if we do not find the answers to all our questions, or come to agreements in all of our discussions; the crucial purpose of this blog is that we are creating a dialogue with other individuals.
Through writing I am able to express my views with clarity and relate to the people around me. By reading the posts of others I come to realise that there are things in the world bigger than myself and my thoughts. We all tend to believe that we are the epicentre of the world and it is through interacting with others on a large scale that we see we are not. The internet is an ocean of different people with different thoughts and views- it is the ultimate classroom as well as one of the most perilous places to find yourself.
In this classroom we are free to pick and choose from an array of sources, it is an information paradise as well as a world of unmonitored and unsubstantiated ‘fact’. The ocean of people in our classroom is not always there to present meaningful and insightful views of the world. If we are to gain a true perspective of what is fact and what is malicious content or misguided truth, we must receive all our information with a pinch of salt, but this does not mean we need become eternal sceptics.
What this means for me as a blogger is that I must build up a view of the world for our readers that is safe. Safe in that its content will not be tactless, degrading or bias. It is important then to also make sure that anything portrayed as ‘fact’ must be substantiated. A great deal of what I will post on our blog will naturally be my own opinion, thus giving those who read it a window into my world and my thoughts. I hope others will be as candid as I intend to be.

"I became a journalist to come as close as possible to the heart of the world"

Kerry-Leigh East

So ever since I’ve been small, I’ve been vocal about those things that I feel strongly about. This could come from reading novels like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys which allowed for a righteous feeling arise within me for those people who the characters are helping. I wanted to be like that. I wanted to be Nancy Drew, the independent, sensitive soul solving crimes which boggle the minds of others. From there is where the soapbox came for me. Since I was always talking about matters I cared about, my family decided that I was to receive my own and honorary soapbox. It was nothing fancy, (actually just the fireplace mantel) and it was there I found my true voice hoping to inspire my family to do something to change things that we were unhappy about. The soapbox was my medium, my voice and my love.

Eventually this voice within me found journalism. This was the official medium that I could rely on that would be recognised by many, not only for the injustices of the world but also for the good things which happen. Henry. R. Luce said, “I became a journalist to come as close as possible to the heart of the world” and this to echoes my feelings. Are journalists not the best people who are able to experience the intricacies of the society we live in? Journalists have to get to the heart of the matter and meet all types of people from different places, different walks of life, and different values and then have to effectively share these stories to the world in a way that will make people wake up and take note. Although all people may be quite able to see the things which happen around them, it can easily be forgotten. This is where I think journalists become important. Journalists have to show and show and show people again what is going on in their through various media and a variety of stories. It is only in this way that society will accept the things occurring in society and perhaps attempt to make a change.

If journalists stop to feel and be sensitive to those around them, we shall become detached and have no use for inspiring a change in society. I aspire to become the voice of those in the poorest countries, those who are sick, dying and sadly forgotten. Hopefully one day they will no longer be forgotten. Let journalists become your voice, your heart song and your hope for a better future.

Aneesa Fazel

"Journaism inspires me coz no matter how bleak the world may seem it entertains the world with its ideas and creaivity"

Have you ever stop to wonder what the world would be like without anyone to report the news?
Just as the Political Philosopher Samuel Huntington believes an election is the most important thing for a country to be democratic, I believe that journalism too is an important tool in maintaining the democratic values of a country. Without the circulation of news and the presentation of the actions of the people we put into power, we would be incapable of making the informed decisions that we do in fact make today.

The mere idea of working a nine to five job despairs me. The thought of knowing that the work of a journalist is in the service of the average man on the street inspires me; because ultimately that is what we all are. My inspiration to become a journalist is all around me. The suffering street kids inspire me as much as the crooked policeman inspires me to understand the story behind the story because no story is what it always seems. I used to find inspiration in television journalists and political authors until I understood how set news agendas was the root of corrupted news and how easy it was for good writers to persuade people into believing anything they wanted them to. When it comes to the main stream media, journalism today no longer has that attractive factor to it of ‘freedom of press’. If the corrupt people control the press, then I guess there isn’t much to say about freedom. News no longer becomes a channel through which people without a voice are finally given one, but a channel through which the masses can be controlled by the things they see and the things they hear.

Being a journalist means being free. For if you are not free yourself, you cannot sincerely report on a people who are shackled. Being a journalist means being able to be emotionally detached, for that is when priorities begin to weaken. I want to be a person who can help the people around me with true journalism ethics. I want to be someone who feels good about the things I am doing as a journalist and not feel that it is just part of doing my job. I want to be woken up at 3am in the morning to be made aware of a drug bust by the local police and feel good that later on, I can write about this, and make many of my countrymen feel like there is still hope. My inspiration is the youth. For no matter how bleak the world may seem, they entertain the world with their endless ideas and creativity. The youth brings colour to a grey and white world. My inspiration is you.