Journalist meeting public after criticism dropped off

'dropped off' is the definition.
('flake out' can be a synonym of 'drop off')

'journalist meeting public after criticism' is the wordplay.
'journalist' becomes 'ed' (short for editor).
'meeting' says to put letters next to each other.
'public' becomes 'out' (I've seen this before).
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'criticism' becomes 'flak' (flak is a kind of criticism).
'ed' put next to 'out' is 'edout'.
'edout' after 'flak' is 'FLAKED OUT'.