What the Twenty-First Century Engaged Journalism can Learn from the Twentieth Century Public Journalism

ABSTRACT

Engaged journalism emerging today bears a striking resemblance to the public journalism movement of the twentieth century in the United States. They have similar values and spirits, believing that journalists should connect more with local communities and help create public conversation. They also share similar techniques. While generally considered a failed movement, public journalism may provide important lessons for the future of engaged journalism. Analyzing public journalism in the three major domains of journalism studies – normative, democratic, and commercial – this essay discusses how engaged journalism can learn from the missteps of its predecessor.

KEYWORDS:

• Engaged journalism
• public journalism
• civic journalism
• audience engagement
• community
• objectivity
• common good
• news business

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).