In democratic countries and in societies like Nigeria where there is a high level of political culture, the watchdog role of the media is highlighted very strongly. On the other hand, the development of the watchdog role goes further than the borders of government investigation to take account of many other institutions of societal power, including powerful individuals who may have no official relationship with public office. In the beginning, the idea of the press as the fourth estate was considered as an independent check on the activities of the state, particularly government. According to Burke, the press was at the same level with the other three estates of power in the British realm namely Lords, Church and Commons. The role of the media as a watchdog that will put government in check was reputedly coined by Edmund Burke in late eighteenth century in England to refer to the political power possessed by the press of that time. The watchdog concept, according to which the media is expected to monitor the activities of government, is one of the oldest beliefs in the practice of journalism. The media has been described as the fourth estate of the realm and watchdog of the society.
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