The Role of Media in Formation and Implementation of Public Policies

It is undeniable the influence that media can have in initiating, developing and conducting a public policy, being an actor which permanently monitors the evolution of the society's life in all its aspects. In the present study, we intend to analyze to what extent the media intervention can have a positive or negative effect on public policy process, if it can be a catalyst for them. The media is not a "policeman" of the society, but is a keen observer, known in all levels of social life. She is always in the shadow of authority, researching, analyzing, emanating criticism or appreciation. The successor failure of a public policy may have as source an elaborated activity of media, although often the initiators of public policy, in case of failure, attributed this as the cause to the press and in case of success to their own efforts. The media, in its diversity, has an essential role in all phases of a public policy, even if it is not a direct participant. This is recognized in any country in the world, with either democratic or totalitarian regimes. Also, in the research that we will conduct, we will follow to what extent the media is a source for identification of solutions, in the cases where authorities are considering that they are powerless, for various reasons.