The article presents the results of discourse analysis where authors define how media identity influences character and quality of online discussions on actual socio-political themes. The research is carried out in terms of theory of J. Habermas and methodology of Misnikov who develops the conception of German philosopher. The empirical data comprises Russian and American cases: A. Navalny’s court sentence and D. Trump’s second impeachment are analyzed. Russian media platforms are divided by political affiliation into independent, pro-state and neutral while American ones are represented by democratic, republican and central media sources. The authors use such parameters of deliberative standard to assess quality and character of online deliberation as distribution of positions, argumentation, culture of communication, interactivity and dialogicity. As a result, investigators come to conclusion that media type has an impact on the way opinions are polarized in online discussions; quality and amount of argumentation; communication culture towards object of discussion and participants of interaction both in Russian and American political e-discourse.