Team Science Communication

The Science Communication Team bridges the gap between research at the HBI and the society for which this research is conducted. It makes scientific findings visible and accessible, brings them into public debates, and creates spaces for exchange between academia, the media, politics, the professional community, and the general public.

The team adapts research topics and findings for different target audiences and formats and supports the institute’s researchers in communicating their work. It is responsible for the HBI’s press and public relations work, as well as for communication via the institute’s website and social media channels.

The team’s responsibilities include providing editorial support for the journal “Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft” and the HBI’s publication series “Working Papers”, as well as conceptualizing and organizing public events such as the Lunch Talks, the Media Lectures, and the Hamburg Media Symposium. With our podcast BredowCast and the Media Research Blog, the team offers additional formats in which research topics are addressed, contextualized, and made accessible to different target audiences.

Overview

Leaders

Last update: 24.09.2026

Blog Articles, News, Projects, Publications, Podcast Episodes

Bundesministerin Bär besucht Netzwerk Digitalisierungsforschung in Berlin am 14.1.2026
Focus on the Social Impact of Digitalization

Federal Minister Bär visits Network for Digitalisation Research in Berlin

On January 14, 2026, Federal Minister Dorothee Bär met with scientists from the Network of Institutes for Digitalisation Research (NIfD) at the Weizenbaum Institute to discuss the social impact of digitalization. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schulz participated in the exchange on behalf of the HBI.

Cover of the article written by Anna von Garmissen published on January 10th, 2026 on the media platform of epd Medien: "Gefährliche Abwärtsspirale. Zur Lage des Journalismus in Deutschland"
Article in epd Medien

Studies on the State of Journalism in Germany

What is the state of journalism in Germany? In her article for epd Medien, Anna von Garmissen discusses three recent studies on the state of journalism in Germany. According to von Garmissen, the findings are thought-provoking and, when considered together, should be alarming to all of us.

Hände tippen auf Laptop-Tastatur, darüber eingeblendete Symbole für Text, Dokument, Lupe und Auszeichnung mit Häkchen.
Media Research Blog Post

Platform Badges for Civic Communication

How can platforms address distortions in the digital attention economy without restricting free expression excessively? This blog post explores how new incentive structures can promote constructive communication on digital platforms and the potential of the Digital Services Act to facilitate such interventions.

Cover of the Publication
Chapter in Anthology

Contextualized Repertoire Maps in Media Usage Research

In their article, Dr. Lisa Merten and Prof. em. Dr. Uwe Hasebrink present contextualized repertoire maps as a method for recording media repertoires based on a study on news usage and discuss their possibilities and limitations in media usage research. Their article is part of the anthology “Researching Media, Data, and Networking Practices: Methodological Concepts and Research Software.”

Publication by Jan-Ole Harfst in the special edition
Special Edition of the Bonner Rechtsjournal

Communication Risks in Online Environments

How can German democracy remain resilient in the face of the communicative threats posed by the digital space? Jan-Ole Harfst's article shows that communicative threats on the internet cannot be countered at the national level alone, but require supranational protection of democracy, and assesses the significance of the Digital Services Act in this context.

Gruppenbild der Mitglieder des USK-Beirats
Child and Youth Media Protection

Stephan Dreyer on the USK Advisory Board

Dr. Stephan Dreyer has taken on the role of legal expert on the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK)'s advisory board. The committee was reconstituted in December 2025 for the 2026–2028 term. The advisory board unites experts from institutions involved in German youth media protection, including those from society, science, politics, and business.

Internet Policy Review

Can Quality Badges Improve Communication on Online Platforms?

A seal of approval for civil communication could promote successful public communication on online platforms while respecting users'freedoms. In their article 'Platform Badges for Civic Communication. An Interdisciplinary Discussion of a Risk Mitigation Measure Pursuant to Art.', Jan Rau, Jan-Ole Harfst and Dr. Tobias Mast examine various design options for such seals.

Cover of the publication
Open Access Publication

Global Media and Internet Concentration

The report offers a thorough overview of the development, economic importance, and market concentration of major companies in Germany's telecommunications, media, publishing, and internet sectors from 2019 to 2023. It places a particular focus on the growing dominance of digital platforms.

Stephan Dreyer
Podcast Recommendation

Are We All Living in a Filter Bubble?

In the podcast "klicksafe Asks... The Media Podcast" (episode 10, only available in German), media lawyer Dr. Stephan Dreyer says that most people are not living in a filter bubble. In fact, filter bubbles have only been scientifically proven to exist for a very small portion of the population.

Cover der Zeitschrift "Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft" Heft 4/2025
Available Open Access

Issue 4/2025 M&K published

Issue 4/2025 of our open access journal “Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft" (M&K; Media & Communication Studies) has been published online via the platform Inlibra.

Vorständin Kristina Hein schneidet ein rotes Band durch zur Eröffnung des neuen Gebäudes, Vorstandsmitglieder Wolfgang Schulz und Judith Möller freuen sich mit ihr.
New Building

We Are Now Located at Warburgstraße 30 B!

The highlight of our anniversary year celebrating the institute's 75th birthday was our move into a new building on Warburgstraße in Hamburg! On December 1, 2025, we moved into an extensively renovated building close to the Alster that is perfectly adapted to our research and event needs.

Gesprächsrunde: Fünf Personen sitzen auf Stühlen vor bunten Roll-up-Bannern in einem Raum mit Bücherregalen.
Video Recording Available

News Usage, News Avoidance, and Digital Public Spheres

As part of Hamburg's Press Freedom Week, researchers from the HBI met with journalists to discuss the current challenges facing journalism, news avoidance, and the differences between journalism and influence.

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