I took a call last week from a Newsweek reporter who was doing a piece on the opening of the "Newseum," the new Washington, D.C.-based museum dedicated to promoting the high points of journalism, of which there are many.

His question to me was essentially, “Do you think this will help rehabilitate the reputation of journalism, which has taken a severe beating over the past decade?"

I guess I wasn't clever enough in my response, since my comments never made it into the article which was published in this week's issue.

But here's what I said:

Not a chance.

To think a museum will turn around the reputation of journalism is as likely as the idea that a museum on the history of oil will improve the reputation of that tortured industry.

First of all, very few Americans will actually visit the museum (particularly at the ridiculous admission fees being charged).

But more important, this museum is but a drop in the ocean compared to the current of negative attitudes about journalism caused, for the most part, by the journalism industry itself.

Who can blame Americans' diminished view of the news media when everyday we are bombarded with journalists' obsession with the trivial (as we saw in last week's Democratic candidates debate hosted by ABC News), the inane (as evidenced by the 24/7 coverage of Britney, Paris and Lindsay), and the downright mean (as we hear and see every day and night on Air America, Fox News and countless syndicated talk radio programs).

And the cherry on top is the very real bias exhibited by too many media organizations.

Journalism used to be a noble profession.  No more.  Why should it be, when journalists themselves diminish its credibility by promoting "citizen journalism" where anyone with a cell phone camera or e-mail address can get equal billing alongside seasoned journalists who have honed their craft through years of experience and gobs of education and intellect?

Just as I say to any other corporate client who asks for help in turning around a bad reputation, I would tell the titans of journalism, if you want to improve your reputation, then you need to first address the performance issues that precipitated that reputation.

That means, stop dumbing it down, and start to "smart it up."

I probably will take my children to the Newseum at some point.  But not to encourage them to pursue journalism careers.  No, I will take them to the Newseum for the same reason I will take them to the. Museum of American History... So they can learn "how it used to be."