This is a summary of the ninth forum of the Committee of Concerned Journalists. The forums form a coordinated inquiry, which with other research, will lead to a monograph outlining the common principles journalists share.

Following several forums exploring shared principles and responsibilities across all media, this forum was the first of two to look specifically at on-line journalism. It gathered for the first time many leaders of on-line journalism in the West to talk about what is excellent journalism on-line and what values and responsibilities should a site have to achieve it.

We heard that excellent journalism on-line means embracing the advantages created by Web technology, such as the inclusion of a multitude of voices and recognizing the increased power given to citizens, while embodying the ethical values such as accuracy and independence articulated in earlier forums. We heard that the biggest threat to journalism in the new media is the blurring of paid advertising and editorial content and that journalism Web sites need to develop ways to make that separation very clear. Other things which may get in the way of achieving excellence are the new partnerships between media and technology companies and the sense of urgency to continuously produce new information. Some of the sites represented in this discussion have already begun writing guidelines which address these issues.

A second forum to be held September 25th in Seattle, Washington, will build on this conversation by exploring the likely economics of journalism's future and whether the system would support practices of excellence on the Web.