To what extent do the structures and conduct of leading news media correspond with their specific democratic role? Authors from 10 countries provide empirical evidence based on the 26 indicators included in the Media for Democracy Monitor. This book addresses, on the one hand, the academic community with the intention to further the debate on the role of leading mass media within contemporary democracies. New developments such as social media and the ongoing media crisis in many countries are likely to require further observation by academic research. On the other hand, the book provides input for the debate going on within media professional circles and their own perception of the role the news media play in democratic societies. The findings expose the leading news media to criticism from different perspectives, but they may also encourage media professionals to study best business practices in other countries – and perhaps to learn from experience abroad. Studying practices in other countries may cause longstanding newsroom habits to be questioned and revised.