Twilight of Press Freedom: The Rise of People's Journalism

by Merrill,John C.

• ISBN13: 9780805836639
• ISBN10: 0805836632
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-04-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This volume offers a historical, philosophical, and practical critique of public and civic journalism--a movement that gained momentum in the final decade of the 20th century. During that period, proponents of the movement have published nearly a dozen books expanding upon and expounding the virtues of journalism, seeking to repair what is thought to be the torn social, political, and moral fabric in America. Although previous works have established a strong practical underpinning for public and civic journalism, none has examined its philosophical roots or challenged its methodology and grounding in neoliberal constructs. This volume does just that, tracing its origins in early philosophy to the current newsroom policies and practices that conflict with traditional constructs in libertarian press theory. Twilight of Press Freedom postulates that institutionalized journalism is fading away and world journalism--prompted by the people--is veering toward more order and social harmony, and away from the traditional idea of the great value of press freedom. The volume provides a critical examination of the trend toward public journalism and considers how press freedom will be impacted by this trend in coming years. Scholars and students in journalism, public opinion, and media studies will find this book insightful and invaluable.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xi
Everette E. Dennis
Preface	xv
Introduction: A New Spirit of Community	xvii
The Sunrise of Freedom	1	(26)
The Pre-Enlightenment Spirit	2	(1)
The German Aufklaerung	3	(1)
Advent of Liberalism	4	(5)
British Enlightenment	9	(2)
The Philosophes of France	11	(3)
18th-Century American Voices	14	(5)
The Age of Sentiment: 19th Century	19	(5)
Dimming of Enlightenment Freedom	24	(3)
Freedom From Freedom	27	(22)
Needed: A New Press Concern	28	(2)
Escaping Freedom's Lure	30	(2)
No Global Embrace of Freedom	32	(3)
Islam: A Religious Perspective	35	(2)
Western Disenchantment	37	(1)
Critics of Press Elitism	38	(1)
Control by Communities	39	(1)
Habermas' Ideal Speech Situation	40	(1)
Positive Freedom in Community	41	(1)
The Case for Freedom's Demise	42	(2)
The First Amendment Problem	44	(3)
Toward a Press Under Law	47	(2)
Order Out of Chaos	49	(22)
Romanticism and Existentialism: Rise of Sentiment	51	(2)
Postmodernism: Ally for Change?	53	(4)
Toward ``Retribalization''	57	(1)
A More Democratic Authority?	58	(2)
Community as Authority: A Word of Caution	60	(1)
Name Game: Neoliberals and Neoconservatives	61	(1)
Neoauthoritarianism	62	(2)
The World Turns to Order	64	(4)
The Order Paradigm	68	(1)
Voices for the Community	69	(2)
The Communitarian Alternative	71	(22)
New Movement Rising	72	(1)
Restoration of Community	73	(2)
An Antiliberal Movement	75	(3)
Depreciation of Individualism and Freedom	78	(4)
The ``Rage for Order''	82	(3)
John Dewey: A Forerunner	85	(1)
Robert Nisbet: Cautious Advocate	86	(1)
Amitai Etzioni: Responsive Communitarianism	87	(2)
Robert Bellah: Communities of Memory	89	(1)
Clifford Christians: Normative Solidarity	90	(3)
Anticipating Community	93	(15)
Challenging the Liberal Paradigm	93	(1)
History and Purpose	94	(2)
Membership	96	(1)
Shared Neoliberal Constructs	97	(3)
Criticisms, Warnings, and Recommendations	100	(2)
The Problem of Monopoly	102	(1)
Technocrats and Middlebrows	103	(1)
Impact on Journalism	104	(4)
Rise of Public Journalism	108	(20)
``Community'' Is the Mantra	109	(1)
Voices of Dissent	110	(3)
Community: Newsroom and Outside	113	(3)
Shift in Journalistic Focus	116	(2)
Participation in the Public Sphere	118	(3)
Negating the Negative	121	(1)
De-Objectifying Journalism	122	(1)
Enthroning Responsibility	123	(1)
What About Advertising?	124	(2)
Everybody a Journalist	126	(2)
Talking Public Journalism	128	(21)
Jay Rosen	129	(3)
Davis ``Buzz'' Merritt	132	(4)
Jan Schaffer	136	(5)
Arthur Charity	141	(3)
Editors Talking Public Journalism	144	(5)
Practicing Public Journalism	149	(21)
Wichita Eagle	150	(2)
Charlotte Observer	152	(6)
Norfolk Virginian-Pilot	158	(2)
Tallahassee Democrat	160	(2)
KVUE (Austin, Texas) and the National Issues Convention	162	(3)
ASNE Change Committee and ``Project Reconnect''	165	(1)
Imagine at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch	166	(1)
Awarding Civic Journalism	167	(3)
The Waning of Press Autonomy	170	(23)
The Muting of the Press	171	(2)
Freeing the Vox Populi	173	(2)
The People's Right to Know	175	(2)
The People's Right of Press Access	177	(2)
Press Councils and Ombudspersons	179	(1)
The Internet	180	(3)
Law and the Demise of Press Freedom	183	(1)
Making the Media Pay	184	(1)
Codes of Ethics: Normativity	185	(1)
Enlarging Journalism's Scope	186	(2)
Ideological Determinism	188	(2)
Egalitarianism	190	(3)
Epilogue: A Brief View Into the Future	193	(9)
Farewell to Lockean Man	194	(3)
Toward a Normative, Democratic Press	197	(1)
A Bold, New Media World	197	(1)
Communal Boosterism	198	(1)
From Freedom to Responsibility	199	(3)
References	202	(9)
Author Index	211	(4)
Subject Index	215	(4)
About the Authors	219