Democratic Journalism?

HARBOUR CENTRE, VANCOUVER, October 26, 2007 the annual democratic media event was held. I had been tabling and making the rounds, eating a 1.25$ slice pizza from up the road. There were so many people from Ohio and Conneticut. Different tables had small printed, online, video audio, radio and all that jazz. This was the results of alternative media.
These collectives, personal projects, societies, coops, or student-funded groups are great outlets where people are given a voice unavailable through mainstream media in some cases. I think however, it is important to understand the balance between one's personal mission to represent the truth as they see it with the priorities of a larger media machine.
After working with various printed or radiobroadcast shows, I find that the written word is easy to alter. When you are a writer, the editor's opinions will magically morph with yours. Some may be more noticable than others, theoretically the Sunny Vancouver Bugle might alter a word or two o the author's or the author's source to liven up a story. One man at commented that, "real journalism is dead" these days.
Do journalists with integrity have to starve or face the devil and give up a shred of credability for money? Is it now up to those concerened citizens with day jobs to start blogg and research and inquire?