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Media Monitoring
The practice of reviewing the contents of various mass media. Carried out in a systematic, formalized way, through content analysis, the content of media messages can be compared with external data as a measure of auditing or “truth checking.” Monitoring can also be practiced in a less formal (and less time intensive) manner by watchdog groups and media critics. Whereas content analysis is presumed to be an objective and scientific practice, other types of descriptive monitoring may be carried out by media activists or politically motivated interest groups. Media critics and watchdog groups function under the assumption that with press freedom comes the responsibility to act legally and ethically. Often such groups are concerned about the breaches in democracy or ethics, on behalf of media ...