ABSTRACT
This book answers the crucial question for understanding the role that the media now play in facilitating or impeding democracy. Focusing on communication as a crucial aspect of deliberative democracy, we introduce the concept of deliberative communication. As deliberative communication occurs at the micro-, meso-, and macro levels of society, our operationalization also addresses these levels. Case studies conducted in 14 selected countries contributed rich qualitative knowledge about the legal framework for freedom of expression and information, media accountability, journalism structures and practices, media audiences' usage practices, and media users' competencies. Theoretical rationales explain the selection of specific dimensions that describe the media system as related to the success of deliberative communication and democracy.
The grouping of countries along the paths to deliberative democracy includes both Eastern and Western European countries. Economic development or developed democracy, autonomy of public service media (PSM), higher journalistic skills, and higher use of legacy media accompany higher deliberative communication. Countries with lower deliberative communication share weakly developed media markets, lower legacy media use, and lower digital and media literacy levels. Professional accountability of the media and journalistic skills are conditions that should be improved in order to better support deliberative communication.
