Who trusts institutional power anymore, whether in government or media? Not the public. People with all political perspectives are increasingly skeptical of what government, corporations, Wall Street and “Big Media” have to say. But where to turn? In an era of sponsored content masquerading as real news and the merger of entertainment and news, who can be relied on for the truth and how can we help people demand more from our institutions? How can media that reveres “access” above serving their audience truly hold the powerful accountable? Here’s a zesty discussion of where online journalism can, should, and will go in the months and years ahead.

Will it continue to be dominated by huge companies, afraid to tell some stories and more concerned about being part of the establishment or, will it acknowledge the frustration in the land and embrace its watchdog role and do a better job of aggressively digging for meaningful revelations and analysis that help us understand our times and the life-and-death issues we face?