Watchdog journalism
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Watchdog journalism informs the public about goings-on in institutions and society, especially in circumstances where a significant portion of the public would demand changes in response. This might involve:
- Fact-checking statements of public officials and corporate executives.
- Interviewing public figures and challenging them with problems or concerns.
- Beat reporting to gather information from meetings that members of the public might not otherwise attend, and to observe "on the ground" in broader society
- Investigative journalism, which involves information-gathering on a single story for a long period of time
Like a literal guard dog that barks when it notices an intruder, a "watchdog" role involves alerting others when a problem is detected. Common subjects are the government decision-making process, corporate fraud, illegal activity, immorality, consumer protection issues, and environmental degradation.
Watchdog journalism can be located in a variety of news media, such as radio, television, Internet, and print media where it may be seen as "a unique strength of newspapers", and additional new media and concepts such as weblogs and citizen journalism. Watchdog journalists also are called "watchmen", "agents of social control", or "moral guardians".
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