Media Strategy

The media are an important external oversight player due to their capacity to raise the profile of an issue and reach a broad audience. For many people, the media are their main source of information and news about the functioning of the government.

Benefits of an effective media strategy

The media are a relevant source of information for legislators, audit entities, civil society, and the general public and can therefore be turned into an important partner to SAIs.

Why should SAIs embark on engagement strategies with the media?

  • The media can greatly increase the outreach of SAI strategies for enhancing visibility of audit reports.
  • The media can draw attention to key findings and highlight the need to monitor compliance with audit recommendations, which can trigger ongoing examination by other stakeholders.
  • The media allow for additional insights on audit findings; either through interviews or articles, SAIs can justify their opinions, be recognized for the comprehensive audit process they have undertaken, and raise key issues that may go unnoticed in reports.
  • The media can contribute to positioning SAIs in the spotlight, thereby strengthening their reputation for increased public legitimacy and the need to guarantee SAI independence.
  • Media investigations can provide further evidence to enrich current audit exercises or trigger other audits in the short term.

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Bibliography

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