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

Portrait Matthias Kettemann
Research Sprint Overview

When Scholars Sprint, Bad Algorithms Are on the Run

In the first research sprint of the project "Ethics of Digitalisation", funded by the Mercator Foundation, international researchers looked at the use of AI in the moderation of online content. Matthias Kettemann and Alexander Pirang provide an overview of the key findings in this blog article.

Portrait Matthias Kettemann
Facebook's Deletion Obligations in the Glawischnig Case

No “Censor for the World”

In an article on the Verfassungsblog [Constitutional Blog], Matthias C. Kettemann and his co-authors clarify misunderstandings in connection with the "Glawischnig ruling" of the Austrian Supreme Court.

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Book Chapter

Hate Speech and Counter-Speech in Commentary of Mass Media Coverage

In a contribution to the anthology "Social Media", Gregor Wiedemann and Cornelia Fedtke examine the interplay between hate speech and counter speech on social networks. The authors propose a model for computer-aided critical discourse analysis.

Portrait Amélie Heldt, Matthias Kettemann
Article on Verfassungsblog

Why Platforms Struggle with Ensuring Data Access for Academics

In their article on the Verfassungsblog [Constitutional Blog], Amélie Heldt, Matthias C. Kettemann and Paddy Leerssen write about the difficulties of gaining access to platform data as researchers.

Cover der Publikation "The Third Better Internet for Kids Policy Map"
Third Edition

On November 30, 2020, the third edition of the “Better Internet for Kids” Policy Map study was presented at the Safer Internet Forum. In addition to the HBI, TU Dublin also contributed to the study, which was commissioned by the European Commission.

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Open Access Article

Block, Hide or Follow

In this paper, Lisa Merten analyses how users curate their news consumption on social media by specifically following or blocking news accounts.

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Austria's Communications Platform Act

Some Comments on Austria’s Draft Communications Platforms Act

Matthias Kettemann, Gregor Fischer and Felicitas Rachinger analyse the draft of the new Austrian Communications Platforms Act in the latest Graz Law Working Paper.

Cover der Zeitschrift Jugend Medien Schutz Report Ausgabe 5 / 2020
Protection of Minors in Messaging Services

Use of Stickers in Messenger Services and Their Relevance to Youth Protection

In the Youth Media Protection Report, Kira Thiel and Stephan Dreyer provide an overview of how children and adolescents use stickers in messaging apps and also discuss the associated risks.

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Accompanying Text to Wolfgang Borchert

How Wolfgang Borchert’s “Draußen vor der Tür” Came to the Radio

Wolfgang Borchert's " Draußen vor der Tür [Outside the Door]" is a protest cry against the destructive power of war. After its first broadcast in 1947, it became the radio's biggest audience success in the post-war era. Hans-Ulrich Wagner contributed to the extensive booklet on the history of its creation.

Portrait Matthias Kettemann
Hate Speech Online

Comments on Austria’s Draft Communications Platform Law

On the Sustainable Computing Lab Blog, Matthias Kettemann analyses Austria's new Communication Platform Act. Although the Austrian legislator is already many things right with this "milestone" for more online protection but it still has a few edges.

Vorschau eines Artikels auf dem Innovationsblog der dpa:
dpa Innovation Blog

In an article on the  innovation.dpa.com, Leonie Wunderlich writes about the first results of our project "Use The News" on news usage in the digital age.

Youth Media Protection

Not for the Faint Hearted?! How the Federal and State Governments Plan to Modernize Youth Media Protection

The Law on the Protection of Minors from Harmful Media is too old and calls for modernisation. In the current issue of the journal Kinder- und Jugendschutz in Wissenschaft und Praxis, Stephan Dreyer gives an overview of the planned changes, their points of friction and to what extent these changes can be sustainable.

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