Let's start with a summary.
Public journalism says the press is in trouble.
The loss of readers and viewers is one result, but the deeper loss is to citizens themselves. People don't see what they care about reflected in the polarized debates and predictable maneuverings of the political class. So they withdraw. This disconnection between the public and its business is serious, but not untreatable. Journalists can respond by listening better to people's deepest concerns and framing the news accordingly.