The purpose of communication in that statement is to inform the public and hold the government accountable by making its actions visible so citizens can evaluate them.

Breaking it down

In the quote, the media is called the “watchdog” of the government. That implies a communication purpose that is:

  1. Informative
    • The media must report everything the administration has done, whether positive or negative, so people know what is happening in their government.
    • This creates an informed public that can make judgments about leaders and policies.
  1. Evaluative / Critical
    • The point is not just to transmit information, but to allow citizens to evaluate government actions, spot corruption, incompetence, or good performance.
    • This aligns with the watchdog role: monitoring, scrutinizing, and exposing misconduct or abuse of power.
  1. Accountability-oriented
    • By communicating government actions openly, media puts pressure on officials to act responsibly, knowing their decisions are visible to the public.
    • This helps prevent abuse of power and promotes transparency in a democracy.
  1. Democratic / Participatory
    • The ultimate purpose is to support democratic participation : when people are informed, they can vote wisely, protest, support reforms, or demand change.
    • Communication here links government and citizens, sometimes called a “bridge” or “linkage institution.”

So, in one exam-style sentence

The purpose of communication in that statement is to provide citizens with complete, unbiased information about government actions so they can judge their leaders and ensure accountability in a democratic society.

TL;DR:
Communication here serves to inform, scrutinize, and enable public evaluation of the government, fulfilling the media’s watchdog role in a democracy.