ABSTRACT
Re-creating the news media into a social instrument responsive to the will of the people is an alluring idea to those championing the growth of public journalism. To fulfill the potential of journalism, the press needs to be more responsible, placing more value on consensus building, problem solving, and community. For some, public journalism represents a philosophic journey, for others, an exercise in adhering theory to practice. Many journalists who have embraced the idea see it as a practical response to the shortcomings and greed of an increasingly commercial press. Proponents of the movement see the media as implicated for the decay of public life in the late 20th century and are serious about the need for fundamental change in the triad relationship of press, politics, and public.
