I just yesterday returned from the Media Reform conference in Minneapolis where Bill Moyers’ made, as usual a deeply inspirational speech, telling how it is all of our tasks to rekindle the dream on which the USA was built and the need for journalism to keep us well informed.
Then on Monday, the New York Times reported [...]
One wonders if all the criticism of the presidential campaign coverage is heard by the folks in newsrooms. Certainly it is not heeded. As I have said here many times, the Public Journalism movement was built as a reaction to the terrible news coverage of the 1988 presidential election coverage.
Elizabeth Edwards says it all again, but this [...]
The Sunday New York Times has an expose about how the Bush administration recruits retired military generals to analyze the Iraq war for TV and other news outlets. However, never mentioned is this little fact:
several dozen … military analysts represent more than 150 military contractors either as lobbyists, senior executives, board members or consultants. The companies include [...]
The Public Journalism or Civic Journalism movement started 20 years ago and grew out of repulsion to the sleaze and trivia of that 1988 Presidential election. Back then it was a few lone voices like Jay Rosen, Buzz Merritt and Cole Campbell who tried to wake up the news media folks about their errant ways.
If [...]
David Brooks, New York Times columnist, under a condescending column headline reading: No Whining About the Media, writes:
First, Democrats, and especially Obama supporters, are going to jump all over ABC for the choice of topics: too many gaffe questions, not enough policy questions.
I understand the complaints, but I thought the questions were excellent. The journalist’s [...]
As you might know, the Harnisch Foundation under the direction of Ruth Ann Harnisch gave us a substantial gift to start the Center for for Sustainable Journalism at Kennesaw State University. We are up and running. Keep abreast of what is happening at SustainableJournalism.org 
Leonard Witt is the Robert D. Fowler Distinguished Chair in Communication at Kennesaw State University and the chief blogger of PJNet. His academic interests include public and citizen journalism and how to get citizens' voices heard. He has spent most of his professional career as an award-winning journalist.