Watchdog Journalism

Poynter Online did a survey where they asked journalists to give meaning to the term "watchdog journalism." The results were a variety of responses, from "watchdog journalism is news that looks out for personal and civic interests," to "watchdog journalism is just kick ass and take names."
No matter what watchdog journalism actually is, it all boils down to investigation. No watchdog journalist can produce quality work without digging for stories, sources, and facts.

In the end, all reporting is investigative
A reporter gives the public information about a certain topic. They don't just pull the facts from nowhere; facts are researched even if it's simply from an AP wire alert. Without journalists, the public would be in an information crisis. Most people don't know where to turn to find out what they need to know. Journalists help them by compiling all the latest news to convenience and inform the consumer.
Still, one asks, why does it matter?
In class, we discussed that watchdog journalism

• monitors power
  
• offers voice to the voiceless
  
• helps prosecution
  
• finds crimes that wouldn't have been found otherwise, and helps reform.

Watchdog journalism is so critical, but there are dangers that come with uncovering stories. At Columbia University's Watchdog Conference, journalists decided they need to take a stand in defiance of legal threats against investigative journalists. If more reporters were aware of their rights, they would be able to produce better work confidently. Legal issues sometimes stand in the way of a reporter publishing what they have discovered.

Just as the public needs watchdog journalists, journalists need the public to be watchdogs themselves. Consumers need to keep journalists in check. It is important that the public understands media literacy and how to interpret what a journalist has written.