CIAO DATE: 01/02

American Journalism in Transition: A View at the Top

Abstract

The effective practice of journalism is essential to the strength of a democracy. Certainly in the United States, the premise of self-governance is that the citizen-sovereigns need to be sufficiently informed—have access to relevant information and opinion—to exercise their duties of citizenship. In large measure, Americans have relied on an open, free, and independent journalistic ethic to gain that level of information and knowledge, and the United States Constitution protects the press in effectuating that system.

If the quality of journalism is so important to our democratic system and its purveyors are even constitutionally protected, then what can be done to promote the highest levels of the craft? In particular, can leaders and readers affect a system that is predominantly unregulated, dispersed, and by nature skeptical?

American Journalism in Transition: A View at the Top (PDF File)