When it comes to public perception, television wields a great deal of influence. How a police department communicates with the media and manages press coverage of its operations can affect its reputation in the community at large, for better or for worse. Staying on top of the news—and even getting out in front of it — can make the difference between constantly having to deal with media crises and frequently getting to tell law enforcement’s side of the story on your own terms. How? The old adage “You can’t manage what you don’t measure” is instructive here. In other words, law enforcement officials need an effective means of monitoring news broadcasts in an efficient, timely manner. Approaches to television media monitoring vary, but traditionally fall into one of two categories: external or internal.