ABSTRACT
The problem of measuring and reporting the convergence of media content seems to be easily lost in a sea of gray, despite efforts of activists, media producers, and regulators to describe it in black and white. The need for such metrics is clear: without some way of demonstrating a problem, and an indication of whether current regulation is affecting that problem, it is impossible to craft good policy. Healthy democracy requires that the population reach consensus through informed discussion of the issues. It has long been realized that a monolithic view of the outside world does not foster an atmosphere of deliberation. It is therefore vital that we understand the degree to which the media are meeting these democratic needs by providing a multifaceted view of the world that corresponds to the variety of values and cultures in the society.
