Rosen's comments are shared by many in the profession. The journalist's role will change in the future. The question is to what extent. No, because although the media is not relied on as much as in the past, according to various surveys and polls, it's still seen as an objective news source. Even with more businesses, organizations and individuals providing information on the Internet, the objectivity and credibility of what they produce may be inherently suspect.
People regard newspapers as objective information banks, telling both sides of the story.
The purpose of civic journalism is to get citizens more involved in the processes that effect their every day lives. This involvement includes citizens interacting more with each other and forming associations and groups to better handle certain issues. Merritt fears cyberspace lessens the quality of those interactions and the chance of people getting involved in their community. Merritt implies that cyberspace is impersonal and too transient to get people involved in their community. Brett Preecs, an electronic publishing consultant, disagrees.