Impact, Utilization and Applications of Digital Media for Government in Rural Settings. A Comparative US-Romania Research

Tudor Vlad, Cristina Hințea, Bogdana Neamțu, Viorel Stănică (2023). “Impact, Utilization and Applications of Digital Media for Government in Rural Settings. A Comparative US-Romania Research.” Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences, 70, October 2023, 128-155. Online ISSN: 2247-8310 | Print ISSN: 1842-2845.

Abstract: Interaction between citizens and government has traditionally taken place in community settings, government meetings, special town hall meetings, written correspondence in letters, emails, or texts, or via a phone call to a government representative. With digital media, citizens can instantly interact with the government. This research operates with the assumption that digital media expresses a paradigmatic shift regarding how to govern and how to communicate. It analyses how local government institutions in rural settings use digital media and other communication channels to communicate with their citizens. The research employs a comparative perspective by investigating rural communities from the US and Romania. This was achieved by undertaking a content analysis of local government’s websites and social media platforms, as well as collecting primary data through interviews with representatives of local government, to assess the ways they use digital media, traditional media, and other communication tools, and whether they viewed them as effective strategies.