Vigilant journalism. The ‘watchdog’ of democracy
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This essay examines watchdog journalism as a central component of constitutional democracy and as a social mechanism for checking power. It argues that, in contexts marked by the inefficiency, insufficiency, and political capture of anti-corruption bureaucracies, watchdog journalism can operate as a sensor, amplifier, and catalyst of accountability. From a theoretical-analytical approach, the text develops a critical review of scholarship on democracy, governance, accountability, and watchdog journalism, while revisiting historical landmarks such as the Cold War and the Watergate case to explain the consolidation of this paradigm. Its main claim is that watchdog journalism does more than inform: it documents, verifies, and exposes abuses of power, mobilizes public pressure, and encourages institutional and social responses. The essay concludes that the autonomy and independence of watchdog journalism are essential conditions for strengthening transparency, narrowing spaces of impunity, and sustaining the effective functioning of the rule of law.
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