The Fourth Estate

The Fourth Estate is a group that represents the fourth branch of the United States government. The branch deals with the news media, especially print journalism. However it also includes photographers, television broad casters, radio announcers and others. In our society we constantly need to be informed and the news media allows us to keep up to date with the world.

It may seem strange that the fourth branch off our government is the press, but it actually makes sense. In order to keep our country informed of the decisions being made for us as well as the ones we are helping to make, we need the news. Having the news be a part of our government helps us to keep it in check. The news helps to both inform and shape our culture. In 1841 Thomas Carlyle also argued that the press was an important part of a democratic society. He said that writing gives people “a tongue which others will listen to.”