The Project for Excellence in Journalism, an affiliate of the Pew Research Center, has released its annual report on the health and status of American journalism. It is a comprehensive look at some of the most signifcant measures of the media’s place in contemporary society, including major trends, audience, economics, and ownership. In the overview, they describe the modern press as being slow on the uptake with regard to the changing landscape, and lacking in the vision that will be required of the industry’s leaders:

“The recent history of the news industry is marked by caution and continuity more than innovation. The character of the next era, far from inevitable, will likely depend heavily on the quality of leadership in the newsroom and boardroom. If history is a guide…it will require renegades and risk-takers to break from the conventional path and create new directions.” […and…] “practicing journalism has become far more difficult and demands new vision. Journalism is becoming a smaller part of people’s information mix. The press is no longer gatekeeper over what the public knows.”

I’m inclined to agree. It has been apparrent for some time that the conventional media has been struggling to cobble together an effective response to the rise of the Internet. And their failure to do so is partially the result of not having the foresight to recognize the approaching risk early enough to counter it. Thank goodness for that.

I’ll be reading and digesting the contents of this study over the next few days and commenting on any notable revelations I encounter.