what is gonzo journalism

Gonzo journalism is a style of journalism that is written without claims of objectivity, often including the reporter as part of the story using a first-person narrative. It is an unconventional style of journalism that relies on the reporters personal involvement in the story. Unlike traditional journalism that tries to report objective fact, gonzo instead makes no claims at objectivity and focuses entirely on the subjective experiences of the journalist. Gonzo journalism involves an approach to accuracy that concerns the reporting of personal experiences and emotions, in contrast to traditional journalism, which favors a detached style and relies on facts or quotations that can be verified by third parties. The personality of a piece is as important as the event or actual subject of the piece. Gonzo journalism disregards the strictly edited product once favored by newspaper media and strives for a more personal approach. The creation of gonzo journalism is credited to American writer Hunter S. Thompson, who first introduced this subjective style in an article for Scanlan’s Monthly magazine in 1970. Thompson embraced the term, and “gonzo journalism” became his trademark style, which he employed in his most famous work, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream. Though gonzo journalism became synonymous with Thompson, the style is evident in subsequent generations’ reporting on various topics, from rock music to war to feminism.