PARTISAN!

Max. J, Newcastle

As a modern journalism student, I find myself astounded by the crisis that modern journalism is in. Increased competition between “legacy media” and “new media” has led to increased monopolisation (as can be seen with the 2018 Nine-Fairfax merger), which has led to a tightening of editorial lines, downsized newsrooms, and more shlock.

I can confidently say that most journalists these days are trained not to be actual journalists (writers with opinions presenting facts and analysis to readers), but instead to be hacks. Outlets such as Junkee and Buzzfeed are two of many that exist solely to present schlock and garbage to a mass readership. Young, talented journalists are being roped into writing up listicles about dildos and Mean Girls references.

Gone are the days of hard-hitting investigative journalism, accurate and serious reporting, or even basic professionalism in the industry. For that, you can rely on, at best, Nick McKenzie of The Age (if he’s having a good day). Journalism is becoming increasingly individualised. YouTubers and Internet personalities such as Jordan “Friendlyjordies” Shanks, Andrew “Channel 5” Callaghan etc are now considered “journalists”, least of all serious ones. Try not to laugh.

The YouTube-ization of contemporary journalism is a lethal threat to serious journalism, especially political journalism. A manufactured distrust in mainstream news has funnelled people into the lion’s den of hacks, charlatans, and YouTube comedians who make Labor Party funded(?) documentaries. Where once people could rely on some semblance of professionalism in the form of publications, audiences now flock to Personalities. Professional trust is replaced with parasocial obsessions and deeply unserious, one-sided personal relationships with internet brands.

Far be it from me to be a snob or an elitist, but the turn toward “edutainment” has been perfidious and only served to make the spectacle more widespread by hijacking education. Learning should be engaging, but it shouldn’t necessarily be ‘fun’. Let’s go back to normal and separate learning from ‘having fun’. It is a total distortion.

It is clear now that communist militants must also be journalists: they must present the facts of capitalism to the working class, and present them with an analysis which can broaden and influence their political engagements. Communist publications must be journalistic. There is a place for dense theory journals, but they should supplement the reporting and analyses we make on the struggle, not be our focus. The working class needs to be informed of the various struggles taking place not only internationally, but domestically. Presenting them with our reporting on actions, on regroupments, on organisational activity, lets them know that communists aren’t stuffy idiots arguing with each other over inane things online, they are do-ers.

God forbid, if we don’t do it, the working class will be subject to another 20+ years of Green Left. I could do with a Top 10 albums to un-fuck journalism listicle right about now.

I intend to at some point present Partisan’s readers with a student’s take on journalism and how communists should relate to and engage with journalism. It is something I don’t see much of. We need more serious journalists, not professional sectarians or listicle writers.