As more and more newspapers fold or shrink their staffs, many are predicting the extinction of journalism as we know it. And with it falls a democratic infrastructure that could take scrappy reporters off the tails of corrupt politicians, leaving them without scrutiny or much accountability. University of Illinois Communications professor Robert McChesney explores ways to revive the industry in an article in the recent issue of The Nation called The Death and Life of Great American Newspapers. McChesney says we need to start by knowing where to lay the blame for the demise of newspapers.

Music Button: Uko, “Sunbeams”, from the CD OmLounge 5, (Om records)