JOURNALISM ON THE NET: NEW WORLD OF INFORMATION

ARLINGTON, Va.(AP) -- The Internet can make the news more democratic,
giving the public a chance to ask questions and seek out facts behind
stories and candidates, the head of the country's largest online service
said Friday.

But the greatest potential for public participation is still in the future,
Steve Case, chairman of America Online, told a meeting on Journalism and
the Internet sponsored by The Freedom Forum, a foundation promoting
understanding of the news media.

Already, though, the new technology of computers is changing the face of
journalism, giving reporters access to more information and their readers a
chance to ask questions and turn to different sources, other speakers said.

``You don't have to buy a newspaper and be confined to the four corners of
that paper anymore,'' Sam Meddis, online technology editor at USA Today,
observed about the variety of information available to computer users.

But the speakers noted that easy access to the Internet also means anyone
can post information for others to see.

``Anyone can say anything they want, whether it's right or wrong,'' said
Case. Readers have to determine for themselves who to trust.

``In a world of almost infinite voices, respected journalists, respected
brand names, will probably become more important, not less,'' Case said.

The Internet today is about where radio was 80 years ago, or television 50
years ago or cable 25 years ago, he said.

But it is growing rapidly because it provides people fast access to news
and a chance to comment on it.

For example, when Princess Diana was killed in a car crash, millions went
online for details and to join in mourning, Case said.

He forecast increased political participation online in this year and in
2000 with politicians able to answer directly to the public -- an
opportunity to increase voter turnout and for politicians to raise funds
from the public.

Turning to the process of journalism itself, Stephen Miller, assistant to
the technology editor of The New York Times, said the Internet provides
reporters with a good starting point to seek information so they can ask
better questions.

But Miller said he worries about reporters who ``learn just enough to be
dangerous.''

It's vital to know how to interpret statistics and to evaluate the source
of information, he said: ``Just because it's digital doesn't mean it's true.''

The World Wide Web ``isn't the end of reporting, it's really the beginning
of it,'' added Meddis.

Llewellyn King, head of the newsletter group King Publications, said that
while the Internet is a tremendous source of data, he doesn't see it
producing a ``new journalism.''

``The work is remarkably the same as it ever was,'' said King, though he
later conceded that with so much spot news on the Internet, reporters will
be turning more to interpretation - ``what does it mean, where is it
going.''