Evolution.

Seven short years ago, when the James K. Batten Awards were launched, civic journalism was often defined by its use of citizen voices in polls and town hall meetings. The seminal images in the media were of emotional citizens discussing burning issues that demanded immediate solutions, like spiraling crime or failing schools.

But technology has redefined the methods as well as the stories that civic journalists cover. You'll see online databases in West Virginia and Web chats in Portland, Maine. America Online produced interactive candidate grids organized by ZIP code for the 2000 election. The polls are still here, but they're done in three, four or, in the case of Minnesota, five languages.

This Digital Age has helped civic journalists define news differently. For one thing, the winners today use storytelling frames remarkably devoid of conflict, which is often a standard definition of news. You'll see very little Good Guys vs. Bad Guys in this journalism. The Portland Press Herald's "On the Verge" series, which received an honorable mention, is about average teens, the ones who don't make the headlines. It's not about druggies or dropouts, yet it is interesting, compelling journalism.

You're going to see journalism that tackles a lot of tough issues: Standards of learning tests in Minnesota; a failing community in Marion, Indiana; possibilities that are underutilized in Lawrence, Massachusetts. And you're going to see journalism that positions ordinary people as capable of some action, such as determining the economic future of West Virginia. It's not just dumping data on people, but also helping them figure out what to do with the information that we're giving them.

When the Batten Awards were first started, about half of the entries were bona fide civic journalism. The rest just wanted to win an award. This year's winners, which include an expanded list of honorable mentions, were selected from a remarkable array of in-depth journalism.

The level of creativity, and the naturalness, if you will, of the civic engagement was stunning. It was very un-selfconscious. These projects were unabashedly civic and proud to do what they were doing for their communities. I think they demonstrated an affection for their communities and for democracy that was not boosterism, but caring - a caring that sometimes calls for a little tough love.

The Digital Age has once again redefined civic journalism. Some might even label it "interactive journalism." But one thing is very clear here. Regardless of the label or definition, readers and viewers know great journalism when they see it.