What is the significance of the fourth estate?

The fourth estate is mass media. This term has no original date of use, but it was used by Edmund Burke a member of Parliament in 1700’s. Burke said that it is one that is more important than the others. It is believed to come from medieval times, the people were structured into classes or estates. The first being the clergy, the second was nobility, and the third being common people. After the printing press and mass media was optimized the press became the fourth. However when the U.S constitution was drafted, the government was said to not be able to interfere with the press. Thus giving the press a great amount of power, therefore becoming the fourth branch of government.

The media is significant because “it monitors other branches on behalf of the people”(381). Mass media became a watchdog of government and the country. The media as we have talked about in the past is almost everywhere. In government, there is not one aspect that media does not cover. Upfront conferences to top secrets that have been leaked, the media is there reporting to the people of our country. This is important because it gives the people power. If they people hear or see something they do not like in the media then they will set out to change what they saw.