Media History

The “Media History” research group examines the role of communication and the media in social and societal processes from two perspectives within the history of media and communication – on the one hand, as communication in the past, and on the other, as communication about the past.

In the first case, media providers, communicators and communicative processes are examined in terms of their significance for historical processes of transformation. One example of this is the project on the history of Hessischer Rundfunk in the post-war period.

In the second instance, studies are being carried out on the valuation of the past, based on the fundamental changes in the constellation of actors and communicative practices in digital interactive media. This research into practices of remembrance and a ‘digital media history’ is being carried out in close collaboration with the Leibniz Research Network ‘Value of the Past’ in its 2nd phase (2025–2029) and Research Group 3 ‘Participation and Appropriation’, which is part of it.

Head of the research group: Dr. Hans-Ulrich Wagner

Photo by Pablo García Saldaña on Unsplash

Overview

Last update: 16.09.2026

Blog Articles, News, Projects, Publications, Podcast Episodes

Cover: Artikel "
Article in "Publizistik"

Concept and Challenges of a Social Media Observatory as a DIY Research Infrastructure

Gregor Wiedemann, Felix Victor Münch, Jan Philipp Rau, Phillip Kessling, and Jan-Hinrik Schmidt discuss the lessons learned from establishing the Social Media Observatory (SMO), an open-science infrastructure for monitoring social media, in their article published in the quarterly journal of communication research *Publizistik*

Deckblatt: "ChatGPT, LaMDA, and the Hype Around Communicative AI: The Automation of Communication as a Field of Research in Media and Communication Studies"
Article in the journal “Human-Machine Communication”

The Automation of Communication as a Field of Research in Media and Communication Studies

The article recommends: To better understand the current changes in the media landscape, we should broaden our perspective. Instead of focusing solely on human-machine interaction, we should consider social communication as a whole.

Illustration: Person blickt ins Smartphone
Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

The Role of Celebrities in Disinformation Campaigns

This project examines the communication of "celebrities" in social media to gain a better understanding of their role in disinformation campaigns.

Redakteure im dpa-Büro
Value of the News

The History of the German Press Agency (dpa)

The project compiles a comprehensive history of the German Press Agency from 1949 to the present. It shows the significance of the dpa as a leading news agency for public communication in Germany as well as for the democratisation of the German society after the end of the Second World War will be worked out.

Menschen vor einem Gemälde im Amsterdamer Rijksmuseum
Project in the Leibniz Research Network "Value of the Past”

Practices of Appropriating the Past

The past is negotiated by many actors and made relevant for the present in ever new communicative practices.

Cover der Publikation Plattform-Demokratie
Download the Results Report

Perspectives on Platform Power, Public Values and the Potential of Social Media Councils

In the final report of the “Platform – Democracy” research project, Matthias C. Kettemann and Wolfgang Schulz present ways to better protect human rights and democratic values in the digital sphere.

Cover des Arbeitspapiers  Reuters-Bericht 2023
Working Paper Nr. 67 for Download

Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023

Interest in the news has been declining over the long term. In 2023, 52 percent of adult Internet users in Germany say they are extremely or very interested in the news.

Cover des Arbeitspapiers Medinnutzung in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Working Paper Nr. 66

Media Use and Political Culture in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

The study examines how people in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania stay informed about politics and other socially relevant issues in their state, and what their general attitudes toward politics are.

Junger Mann im Profil reibt sich die müden Augen
News Usage in International Comparison

News Fatigue in Germany on the Rise

Interest in news continued to decline in 2023. 52 per cent of adult internet users in Germany say that they are extremely or very interested in news.

Cover Eckpunkte
Statement on the Key Points Paper

Statement: Key Points from Federal Ministry of Justice on the Law Against Digital Violence

A group of HBI experts in the fields of media law, youth media protection, platform regulation, and Internet research issued a statement outlining their assessment of a key points paper from the Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ) regarding a law on digital violence.

Cover der Publikation
Article in the magazine “Journalism”

Exploring the Interrelation between Journalism and Social Cohesion

In their new article in the journal *Journalism*, Julius Reimer, Verena Albert, and Wiebke Loosen explore how journalism can either strengthen or weaken social cohesion. The article is based on the findings from four group discussions with 21 experts from the fields of journalism, academia, and civil society “cohesion practice.”

Cover des Arbeitspapiers Belastende Online-Erfahrungen
Working Paper No. 65

Adolescents’ Perception, Evaluation, and Coping with Distressing Online Experiences

The findings of the qualitative study by Kira Thiel and Claudia Lampert provide valuable insights into how adolescents cope with distressing online experiences and where they need support.

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