Weber State Journalist Vows To Teach His Craft

DERRICK GAINSFORTH—I’m best described as a crude poet of life. Ego-driven, self-righteous and honest to a fault. Those who know me, know me well. As a transfer student from SLCC, I’ve resided under senior status at Weber State nearly my entire tenure.  I’m a cocooned journalism major awaiting transformation into the teacher I’ve always felt I’d become. I feel an inhibition to teach the art of what we do—both from a place of hunger for truths and historical significance.

Journalism has become bastardized under the grip of monetized corporate interests. Pharisaic words professed by pundits are passed on by peasant; meanwhile the palace of truth burns. The warriors of this fair trade are crucified and displayed as trophies around the glow—the brave few still fighting inside the flames.

Dramatic much? Maybe; but it’s not too far off. The landscape of journalism as a profession has been entangled inside a game of thrones. I’m likely to opt away from soldiering on the frontlines. I’ve taken the road to teach over doing; to educate the youth into journalistic thinkers. I have faith in the budding generations to simply be journalists. To think journalistically, critically and rationally. To find the true truths regardless of their romanticized feelings for the contrary belief. In the age of information, journalism as a skill, should be taught to all who will listen.

I’ve never been one to take information at face value—there must be a deep story. Perhaps I’m a bit psychoanalytical in that regard. Journalism allows me to see inside a situation, peel back the layers and report them in proper context. Listen to me; talking about my journalism career as-if I’ve cracked the hottest cases around. I’ve really reported groundbreaking news; unless you count that time I figured out what happened to Jamie Madrox green hat. It wasn’t even that interesting but click on it anyway; The Signpost needs the hits.

All-in-all I’ve spent my student journalism career as an A&E reporter. I review albums, create “things to do” lists and get VIP interviews with bands. It’s not a bad gig; but it’s a minuet line in the grander role of journalism. The true heroes of journalism are in North Dakota right now. They’re on the front-lines in the streets of America. They’re raising the corpse of status quo journalism and fixing its spine.