press and government relations Written by Daniel C. Hallin Contributor to SAGE Publications's The SAGE Encyclopedia of Journalism (2022) whose work appears in Britannica as part of a joint publishing agreement with SAGE. Daniel C. Hallin Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated May 26, 2026 •History The development of news media is closely tied to the emergence of modern government. Indeed, news media have always been tied to government and political institutions more generally; they are often considered a political institution, a kind of “fourth branch of government.” Early newspapers served to shape public opinion in the course of battles between and within states, to integrate citizens into developing administrative structures of the modern state, and to provide them with the...

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