ABSTRACT
We saw in the last two chapters who the public journalism leaders are and what various newspapers are doing to implement the new model in their daily practice. There seems little doubt that the press is slowly losing its editorial autonomy, giving it up out of a sense of public consciousness and a desire to democratize journalism. Public journalism has simply been one of the forces (maybe the main one) to prick the tough skin of the institutional press and make it aware of its public responsibilities. It is always possible, of course, that this shift from press freedom to press responsibility-from press autonomy to public involvement-will be only temporary. However, it is our contention that this change will be more than a momentary whim and will grow constantly in the 21st century until America has a truly populist press.
