Since the late 18th century this function has often been called the fourth estate. It's the idea the media is a watchdog over the other three estates which, in modern democracies, are parliament, the executive government and the judiciary.

xMelbourne: United States President Donald Trump is well advanced in his systematic campaign to undermine the American media and eviscerate its function of holding him and others in power to account. Since the late 18th century this function has often been called the fourth estate. It's the idea the media is a watchdog over the other three estates which, in modern democracies, are parliament, the executive government and the judiciary. In the US, Trump has had considerable success in weakening the other three. His Republican Party controls both Ho

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