"This article applies comparative analysis framework and demonstrates that media in the Baltic States offers rich news environment with diverse choices. As practice reveals, the three countries were also able (with more or less success) to institutionalize media self-regulation systems. In spite of these transformations towards democratic media, this article discloses that due to certain drawbacks (lack of internal media freedom and labile professional ideals) media performance does not always adequately serve the requirements of democracy. Very often media becomes an instrument to reach other (political or business) aspirations. In addition, the article focuses on certain aspects of media culture in the countries of the same geographic region (Baltic and Nordic countries) and identifies unique national and “imported” characteristics in the Baltic media systems and assesses their impact on media performance. Finally, it proposes that media cultures in the Baltic States represent mixed models with mainstream commercial and public service media each functioning with their own logic and professional journalistic norms." [Information des Anbieters]