ABSTRACT
In the preface to Comparing Media Systems we wrote that we would be satisfied if our book were able to spark a more developed discussion of theory and method in the comparative study of media and politics, and inspire more comparative studies in that area. Several years after the publication of the book, we can “officially” declare that we are satisfied with the results. Comparing Media Systems has been widely discussed, and the framework we propose has been used extensively in both theoretical reflection and empirical research. Of course, not all the reactions to our book have been positive, even if those who have commented on it have almost always acknowledged its importance and its role in fostering comparative research on media and politics. In this paper we want to respond to some of the criticisms that have been advanced and some of the issues that have arisen as our work has been analyzed, applied, and tested. We will be selective: the range of responses is wide and we do not have space to address all the issues that have arisen.
