But all too often these days, such coverage does not ring true to our readers and viewers. It seems harsh, insensitive, intrusive and artificial. Civic journalism as practiced by the best practitioners would create roles for the news media beyond the stenographic chronicling of the event and the aftermath. In covering disasters and their victims, news organizations can also create coverage that provides forums for venting, grieving, learning, enabling and rebuilding the community. First, let's pause for a definition.
Civic journalism is both an attitude and a set of tools.
The numbers are alarming. A new study by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, a sister organization, documents a free fall in Americans' respect and trust for the news media. They registered far less enthusiasm about the news, were critical of the how journalists did their jobs, were even less appreciative of the watchdog role of the press. Only 41 percent have favorable opinions of such large national newspapers as The New York Times and The Washington Post . That's a drop from 53 percent only 5 years ago.