A group of four publications editors debated the role of "civic" journalism at a lively panel discussion in the Rockefeller Center for the Social Sciences last night.
About 50 people attended "Just the Facts? Journalism and the Public Interest," which was moderated by Government Professor Gordon Silverstein who was a former editor for The Wall Street Journal.
The panelists were Jonathan Cohn, executive editor of the American Prospect; Michael Gartner, former President of NBC News, and current co-owner and editor of The Daily Tribune of Ames, Iowa; Donald MacGillis, coordinator for the Boston Globe in its People's Voice Partnership with WBUR-FM and WABU-TV for coverage of the New Hampshire primary, and Davis Merritt, editor and senior vice president of The Wichita Eagle.
Civic journalism has been defined as "the strengthening of civic culture by working to reconnect people to their communities, draw them into politics and civic affairs and reclaiming the system as public property," according to a press release by the College News Service.
Merritt, the strongest advocate of civic journalism on the panel, said civic journalism "stems from philosophy about the role of journalism in democracy." He said newspapers should strive to be accurate and objective but not detached.
Gartner, a staunch opponent of civic journalism, disagreed and said that newspapers should strive to be both objective and detached.
"You don't use your newspaper to expand solutions whether it is motherhood, the flag or apple pie," he said. "There is nothing you should take a stand on."
Cohn, who also supports the concept of civic journalism, said it "has the promise of redirecting journalism."
MacGillis, another advocate of civic journalism, said most newspapers lack sufficient resources to devote to civic journalism.
