This book presents a unique perspective on the relationship between politics and the media in different kinds of political regimes in Europe, North America and Asia. These essays show that media effects on politics are the product of interactions among media technologies, the structure of the media market, the legal and regulatory framework, the nature of basic political institutions, and the characteristics of individual citizens. The authors' conclusions challenge conventional wisdom concerning the political roles and effects of the mass media on regime support and change, on the political behavior of citizens, and on the quality of democracy.