The Watchdog

I love the analogy of journalists being watchdogs. Journalists make the affairs of powerful intuitions more transparent to the public. They protect the public from injustice that could occur due to the powers that others possess. Watchdog journalism most frequently references the relationship between governments and journalists.
Governments are the most powerful organizations in society, and they have the greatest potential to do harm. Journalists protect us from harm by:
1. Gathering information that informs people of circumstances that could affect their lives (Original Investigative Reporting).
2. Thoughtfully analyzing information in order to bring it into a more complete context that provides deeper public understanding (Interpretive Investigative Reporting).
3. Develop information through discovery from an official investigation that is already under way (Reporting or Investigation).
Through this protection was coined the phrase "Watchdog Journalism."
Growing up on a farm in Southern Utah http://maps.google.com/maps?q=loa+utah&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&sa=N&tab=wl  allows me to have an interesting perspective  on the analogy. My family owns a herd of 800 sheep. For those 800 sheep we often had two or three sheep dogs. http://www.art.com/products/p14402496-sa-i3023257/jason-edwards-an-italian-sheep-dog-guarding-a-fairy-penguin-colony-from-foxes.htm  The sheepdogs became one with the heard, but when wolves would attack the sheepdogs would protect the heard.
With journalists and the government we have the same concepts. When the government seeks to harm the public, journalists protect. Even in cases of dishonesty journalists do the job of informing citizens to strengthen the public. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/
Thank goodness for the brave souls who choose to be watchdogs.