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The State of the Fourth Estate

© Donna L. Quesinberry

In its infancy, the Fourth Estate topic and this site, provided only a handful of research articles when performing Internet and/or library searches. The main reference found was for Jeffrey Archer's book, The Fourth Estate, and it was often the only reference. As time has progressed, references on this topic, in multiple search engines, continues multiplying. Largely this is due, I am certain, to exponential growth the Internet has been experiencing.

Conversely, there is an underlying reality that the Fourth Estate itself has been exhibiting gains of public interest. These gains are both national and global expansions of topic interest, this is good news indeed. When free press interests increase so does public awareness and public awareness is essential to be a Fourth Estate Guardian (FEG).

Researching the Fourth Estate subject material reveals startling facts riddled through a variant of articles and University studies regarding press, media, and literary communication. Apparently, there is a broad general consensus that the modern "press" has achieved a severe loss of personal character.

There's an underlying truth in the concept that major press organizations are corporate ventures where bottom lines rule and regulate much of the medium. These are generalized points in fact that make one wonder how practical as assumptions this mode of thought actually proves to be. I agree with the concept that corporatization of the National Press has defined parameters whereby members navigate as success driven journalists. Definitely a strong majority of writers, journalists, and professionals in the literary realm have underlying causal relationships between currency and career goals, to say otherwise shows a lack of wisdom.

However, there are those individuals who go beyond that level of professionalism who deliver themselves to an atypical application of the Fourth Estate medium. These individuals report stories, often at the cost of their own livelihood, at the expense of their careers. They sacrifice life, liberty and personal freedom to assist those they love, respect, and desire to protect.

We are becoming universally aware of the fact that journalists are being killed, defamed, set to ruin, and/or deported when they are trying to gain communicable truth for us in the Fourth Estate global community. So far, this year (2002) Fourth Estate Guardians (FEGs) have given their all to embrace a free press and are included in the following bulleted list:

• Daniel Pearl Wall Street Journal reporter-executed-Pakistan
• Sagui Bashan Channel 2 television station reporter-shot-Israel
• Abou Bakr Jamai, publications director of Le Journal Hebdomadaire-jail term and fine-Morocco

The copyright of the article The State of the Fourth Estate in Fourth Estate is owned by Donna L. Quesinberry. Permission to republish The State of the Fourth Estate in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.