Citizens rely on the media for information and the media has a strong impact on public opinion and the public agenda. how does the media play the watchdog role?

The media sometimes influences public opinion by reporting public opinion. One of my mom's favorite stories involves the first election she planned to vote. She had never been politically active, and my father had finally talked her into it. On the way to the polling place, the results were announced. At least that's the way she tells it. They lived in California, so what she heard was actually the eastern poll projections. Still, she never voted again.