ABSTRACT

Although the term has fallen into disfavor, it is possible that the concept of civic journalism is of renewed importance amid the shrinking audiences (Meyer, 2004; Mindich, 2005) and damaged credibility presently facing the traditional news media. In this environment, civic journalism’s ultimate mission—to use the news to revive democracy and, at the same time, revive the importance of the news in the daily life of citizens—should resonate with many in the journalism business today.