The role of media monitoring in promoting proactive social communication - Case study: Media monitoring and analysis in the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Abstract

The ability to speak has led to the development of society and changes in social evolution. Later, writing and portable devices exerted a significant influence, especially in the context of the expansion and diversification of social structures and the evolution of culture. New communication technology facilitated the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg and thus a communication evolution. And now, "we are already seeing the first steps towards immersive journalism, with journalists working in large global media organizations already using virtual and augmented reality to explain better certain stories and to attract a wider readership" (Stănescu, G. C., 2022). In terms of the role of communication in society, the sociology of communication has been continuously developed and evolved since the 1960s. Emilian M. Dobrescu argues in Sociology of Communication (1998, p. 20) that while the sociology of communication focuses on investigating the social consequences of the act of communication, the sociology of communication is devoted to the study of communication channels and their impact on human society. Institutional communication is the defining feature of any organisation, public or private. The effectiveness of institutional communication has a significant impact on the relationship with its audience and how it is perceived. In this context, media monitoring becomes an essential tool in institutional communication efforts. This paper aims to explore the importance of media monitoring in the context of institutional communication, highlighting its role in assessing impact and adapting communication strategies. Media monitoring and analysis is an approach of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to provide decision support and expertise for both the leaders of the Ministry of Interior and the specialists responsible for public communication. These activities involve dealing with general concepts of media monitoring and analysis, with an emphasis on the specifics of these activities within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, starting from the idea of media review in organisations.