Of the many challenges news organizations confront, there is one that inspires my research, informs my teaching, and ignites my imagination. It involves the disintegrating connection between journalists and their audiences--the separation of journalists from their communities that has taken place through the years. With the notion of objectivity having become such a dominant strategy, sometimes this distancing has been intentional.

The motivating idea behind the disconnection was simple: To enhance their ability to fairly report the news, journalists needed to stand apart from their community rather than be participants. Other factors, such as journalists' transient lives as they moved from place to place for career challenges and advancement, added to the disconnection. The result is that journalists often ended up without any roots, history or context in the communities they covered.

Journalists still foster and celebrate otherness more than they do connection. Ever mindful of conflicts of interest--actual or perceived--they hold themselves apart from influence and are wary of being swayed by sources or vocal readers.

The public journalism movement that emerged in the 1990'S was in part about using news organizations as vehicles for finding solutions for community issues and problems. It was criticized for encouraging journalists to partner and align themselves with sources and for a perception of pandering to audience whims. Critics also threw around a word that makes journalists uncomfortable--advocacy.

Yet if we explore this idea now, helping to find solutions seems an accepted part of the job. I've asked a lot of journalists this year if they feel that they're working on behalf of their communities. To a person, they say "yes." (The opening line of the Chicago Tribune's editorial vision is "We stand up for the community.")

In general, I've found that most journalists would agree with these notions:

* They are using information to improve their communities.

* They want community members to feel invested in and connected to the news product.

* They want as much information as they can get about what their readers want and need to know.

What Engagement Means

As I've spent several months talking with journalists about what community engagement means to them, I've asked them: Why do they think...