Medienstrukturen revisited – die Rolle von Werten. Ein analytisches Modell zur Untersuchung des demokratiefördernden Potenzials nationaler Rechts- und Regulierungsrahmen

The analytical model presented in this paper aims to clarify how national legal and regulatory frameworks in EU Member States create or strengthen media system structures that enable the exercise of democratically relevant media functions. It is based on the assumption that laws, norms, and rules can be understood as “applications of values”, which—in a democratic environment—reflect the underlying principles of democracy. The model consists of two pillars: first, the values considered fundamental in the European Union; and second, the values that reflect an evolving understanding of democracy and are primarily embedded in current EU policy. This concept draws on the common distinction in value research between “substantive”/“terminal” values and “standard-setting”/“instrumental” values. The values assigned to the two pillars are discussed with respect to their potential to shape media structures, serving as the basis for deriving indicators to analyze national legal and (self-)regulatory frameworks.