Media Monitoring As A Strategic Tool in Public Communication: A Case Study of the West Java Communication and Information Agency, Indonesia

Abstract

In today’s digital communication era, governments face enormous challenges in managing massive and fast-moving information flows. One emerging strategy is the use of media monitoring to support public communication strategies. This study examined the urgency of media monitoring for the Communication and Information Agency (Diskominfo) in West Java, Indonesia, in building public trust and anticipating misinformation and hoaxes. It aims to analyze the use of media monitoring in detecting issues and classifying sentiment as part of a public communication strategy. This study adopts Dialogic Public Relations Theory which consists of five main principles: mutuality, propinquity, empathy, risk, and commitment. This framework is relevant because it encourages open public conversations, increases government responsiveness, and strengthens long-term relationships with the community. The research employs a qualitative approach with a single case study design at West Java Diskominfo. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews with representatives of Regional Apparatus Organizations, Public Relations officers, and Media Monitoring Analysts. Field observations were conducted from March to August 2025. Data analysis was carried out inductively using exploratory techniques. The results show that media monitoring serves as an early detection tool for crisis issues, a means of sentiment classification and analysis, and a basis for evaluating public communication campaigns. West Java Diskominfo applies a combination of digital and manual methods to ensure data validity, despite facing limitations in human resources, technology, and ethical dilemmas. These findings confirm that media monitoring is a vital instrument in evidence-based public communication and extend the communication literature by integrating dialogic theory into local government practice. 

Keywords:Dialogic Theory,Strategic tool, Media monitoring, Public communication, West Java Diskominfo.

https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2025-4104-22