Media Monitoring

A fourth data collection technique, which yields less detailed data than the other approaches but is the easiest to implement for real-time monitoring, relies on both manual and computerized information extraction processes to derive relevant data from secondary textual sources such as news media, websites, online databases, and emails (among others). In consultation with management, PRIMA first compiles a “corpus” of such information, which it subsequently processes offsite. The data produced by this technique are carefully examined for logical inconsistencies and overall credibility, and are cross-checked against the beliefs and assumptions of internal personnel or external advisors with expertise in stakeholder engagement, community affairs, government affairs, communications, and external affairs. Despite such cross-checking and validation, the data are more likely to contain significant gaps and biases than are data collected using the other techniques described above.