I Am The Journalist

These were the bold letters placed in front of us at our first, Monday afternoon lecture. It was my first day of university, the first appointment on my carefully crafted timetable, and my first lecture. As can be expected, I was terrified, but this didn’t distract me from the fact that the third slide said in huge lettering,  “YOU are the journalist”. I  am the journalist? But it is my first day. What is the point in being here if it am supposedly already a journalist? I pondered these words until they were replaced by several inspirational and rather dramatic quotes by well known editors, journalists and publishers (most of whom I had never heard). The quotes ranged from "Generally speaking the best people nowadays go into journalism..." (Auberon Waugh) to "... egomaniacs of average intelligence or less often end up in the field of TV journalism" (Tina Fey). Aside from confusing me greatly, these were useful in highlighting the varying public perceptions of journalism, but I have yet to decide my own.  I recently found a picture on an interesting blog Stuff Journalists Like which illustrates some of these. It was also on Facebook, so some may have already seen it. 

But after much deliberation, the question still remained. Why am I a journalist? Why now? The answer was finally revealed in the 22nd slide. I am a journalist because, by tweeting, by posting on a blog, I am 'doing' and practising journalism. By representing information, events and concepts, I deem relevant for those who care to read it, I am 'doing' journalism. Anyone can 'do' journalism, and through the study of journalism, we are. So, for Semester One at least I am the journalist.