Watchdog Group in the United States

Concept of Watchdog Group

In the U.S., in the context of Political Participation, Interest Groups and Lobbying, Watchdog Group has the following meaning: A watchdog group is any part of government or an interest group whose job, formally or informally, is to review and publicize what other parts of government and groups are doing, raising a public alarm when something is amiss. Though some government agencies are specifically created to serve as watchdogs (e.g., public auditors or special governmental investigative committees), in the world of interest groups watchdogs are self-appointed. The mass media is often seen as a governmental or corporate watchdog when it investigates and reports, but its watchdog role is informal and haphazard. Other groups such as the Consumers Union, Judicial Watch, MediaWatch, or the Center for Responsive Politics scrutinize parts of the political, economic, or social system and disseminate their findings to the public, often with calls for action. (Source of this definition of Watchdog Group : University of Texas)

Watchdog Group

Resources

See Also

• Political Participation
• Interest Groups
• Lobbying