Journalist Survey

Five years ago we found a profession that had become more concerned about its performance and more willing to adapt. The findings back then, we said, paint "a picture of an industry aware it is at a cross roads. Journalists have come to agree with their critics and are embarking on self examination that is a likely first step to change."

Today, some of that change has happened, but what remains are problems that seem more structural and protracted.

While journalists feel they have gotten closer to their audiences and more willing to innovate, they also are more pessimistic about the public. It is possible that journalists feel they have done much of what they can do themselves to address journalism's problems. What they are left with are issues they cannot contend with alone. And they believe the companies they work for in the last five years have moved in ways that have only made things worse.

On top of that, there are signs that the growth areas in journalism are not seeing the kind of investment of resources to build for the future.

If five years ago we saw the seeds of change, today we see a trend toward fragmentation among all players involved - journalists, executives and the public.

Not only do they disagree on solutions, they seem further apart on identifying the problems