Each of the previous articles assumes as ideal a system that maximizes the autonomy of law and the media from the social context and from each other. None addressed the desirability of law or the media to be responsive to culture nor the possibilities of fruitful interactions between law and the media. This afterword suggests possibilities for research to better understand the interdependencies not only of law and the media, but also of law and culture. The research shows that the media have become actors in the legal processes and active participants in the criminal justice system. The role and responsibilities this development entails, as well as its cultural meaning, are a prime target for research once the assumption of autonomy for law and the media is held in question. Research is also needed on the ways in which legal processes depend on shared and divergent cultural values and attitudes and how legal narratives and experiences impact a media-influenced citizenry. 46 footnotes (Author abstract modified)