Fourth Estate

Rather remained adamant, even through reputational degradation, that the real threat to journalism wasn’t liberal bias or declining ratings, but the corrosive takeover of the fourth estate by corporate and ideological power.

While the news media is sometimes referred to as the fourth estate, alongside the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, few think of stand-up comedy as a pillar of democracy.

We are long overdue for a reintroduction of the guidelines that offered some degree of trust in the fourth estate.

“That’s the whole value of democracy. You can voice your opinion, but I hope they understand by not subscribing that it just adds to the demise of democracy and the fourth estate,” he told Spectrum.

Clooney said he wanted to make a movie to let people hear some “really well-written words about the fourth estate again.”