Here are seven theses that suggest how all our best efforts to make journalism better might fail us even if they succeed within themselves. Work to improve journalism must be more than necessary. If all journalism meets internal standards of excellence, but doesn't connect with its users, it can still fail. Craft cannot be understood fully or practiced superbly without constant intercourse with purpose and use. If all journalism is well crafted but misconceives its purpose or use, it can still fail.
Competence is a bar to journalism's salvation.
The competent seek to protect their competency, not alter it. If all journalism is done by competent journalists, who feel no vulnerability , it can still fail. If all journalism consists of sound information, but users can't act, it can still fail. Journalism is inherently collaborative . Its value is created by journalists and the people they serve.