KC Cowen introduced the class to the idea of blogs as the “Fifth Estate” in her post titled Democracy Defended: Polibloggers and the Political Press in America. But what is the “Fifth Estate”?
Geoff Livingston explains the “Fifth Estate” and its relation to the Fourth Estate, or the media. The fifth estate was born from the media audiences ability and desire to comment, influence, supplement, augment and develop their own voice concerning information obtained through the media. Start the dramatic music — the fifth estate and blogs are one in the same.
“The Fifth Estate – citizen media – brings to bear unreported yet relevant news, and questioned stated facts,” Livingston explained.
Stephen Cooper, Associate Professor of Communications at Marshall University professor, proposed a similar, yet different, definition and use of the Fifth Estate in his book, “Watching the Watchdog: Blogging as the Fifth Estate.” Cooper explores the distinct type of media criticism that has developed in the blogosphere, which he has named the watcher of the watchdog.
According to Amazon.com: “In one sentence, the thesis of this little book is that the blogosphere is in the process of maturing into a full-fledged social institution, albeit a non-traditional one: emergent, self-organizing and self-regulating.
If you are still interested in learning more about the Fifth Estate, take some time to read this recent Washington Post article about how in some cases the media has accepted and used social media to its benefit.
