Media: The Fourth Estate

The fourth estate is the name given to the media by the United States government, making them a watchdog over the other branches of government. The press fulfills their watchdog function on a daily basis, reporting information on the government, and other important issues to the audience. These functions allow the media to make sure that the audience has the most information as possible, and all of the information is protected through the freedom of speech. Media has the job of making sure that the government is up keeping all that is promised, and reflects what the audience is demanding.
The fourth estate is also very important during times such as presidential elections. During times like these the media reports all the information about the individuals whom are running as they can find. This allows for the audience to make more informed decisions when voting in elections. Media is a watchdog to all governmental bodies, keeping them on track for the audience. Without the fourth estate, much of what the government does would not be reported back to the audience. The fourth estate is what allows the United States to be a democratic society. The significance of the fourth estate is the governments recognition of the need for media to report information to the audience.
-Michael Bouchie