It's hard to truly define Gonzo Journalism. Whilst some believe it is the use of both fact and fiction in order to create an engaging story for the reader, others believe it involves getting involved in a news story your covering and becoming part of it, perhaps even the story itself. Whichever definition you choose, Gonzo journalism can be seen as one of the most radical and controversial forms of journalism that has risen over the past few decades. The man responsible for the birth of this new genre of journalism is journalist, Hunter S. Thompson.
His novel "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream." documents two trips Thompson took to Las Vegas, writing for Rolling Stone magazine. These two trips resulted in the basis of the novel in which the characters, Raoul Duke and his attorney, Dr. Gonzo, who travel to Vegas in order to report on a motorbike race, eventually abandon their project and experiment with drugs which causes a series of bizarre hallucinogenic trips detailed in the book. Thompson uses a lot of creative licences throughout the novel, providing a fictional framework for factual events. The book was later adapted into a film.http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=Z-mLuLnN2xw&feature=related
In Gonzo Journalism, journalists tends to favor style over accuracy and often uses personal experiences and emotions to provide context for the topic or event being covered. It disregards the 'polished' edited product favored by newspaper media and strives for the gritty factor. Use of quotations, sarcasm, humor, exaggeration, and profanity is common.
Gonzo Journalism nowadays is still a relatively controversial and risky form of journalism this is why it is rarely seen in most print media. Broadcast and online media however have seen a resurgence in the genre. Documentaries by Micheal Moore and Morgan Spurlock demonstrate a heavy use of Gonzo aesthetic with excessive use of satire and humour in their documentaries and also getting intimately involved in the story they were covering. With technology opening-up new avenues of expression, The internet is also host to a large amount of weblogs dedicated to Gonzo Journalism.
This would be the easiest way to gain a career in this field. Starting a blog and utilizing the techniques of Gonzo Journalism in order to gain a name for yourself and then applying at various publications. A degree isn't necessary but it is certainly beneficial when applying to larger media outlets.
Bibliography
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzo_journalism
www.essortment.com/all/whatisgonzoj_rqjo
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