Research Focus

The research unit focuses on the current transformations of the media and communication environment. We study processes such as mediatization, digitalization, and datafication of society. In particular, we address how patterns change in a digitalized public sphere. 
Empirically, we study content, formats, and interaction structures. Our research connects to three research fields with specific questions and projects.

 

Changes in political communication

Direct interactions between journalism, politics, and citizens in digital publics. Evaluative interactions patterns. 

Changes in digital journalism

Social media and multichannel communication in journalism. Journalistic research and verification. 

Changes in strategic communication

Social media and public relations. Network monitoring and issue management. Influencers and network gatekeepers. 

Research Projects

Journalism beyond the crisis (2016-2020)

ARC Discovery Grant (Information)

Prof Axel Bruns, Dr Aljosha Schapals (Brisbane) in cooperation with Prof Folker Hanusch (Vienna), Prof Christoph Neuberger (Berlin), Prof Mark Deuze (Amsterdam), Dr Tamara Witschge (Groningen), Prof Dr Christian Nuernbergk (Trier)

    Selected Publications

    Schumacher, N. F., Shi-Kupfer, K., & Nuernbergk, C. (2024). Personalized, war and peace journalism on Twitter: The Russo-Ukrainian War through the lens of political journalists. Media, War & Conflict. https://doi.org/10.1177/17506352241268403

    Maurer, P., & Nuernbergk, C. (2024). No watchdogs on Twitter: Topics and frames in political journalists' tweets about the coronavirus pandemic. Journalism, online first, https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849241266722

    Schumacher, N. F., Maurer, P., & Nuernbergk, C. (2023). Towards New Standards? Interaction Patterns of German Political Journalists in the Twittersphere. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 28(1), 257–277. https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612211025502

    Maurer, P., & Nuernbergk, C. (2022). Special Issue “Journalism, Activism, and Social Media: Exploring the Shifts in Journalistic Roles, Performance, and Interconnectedness.” Media and Communication 10 (3).

    Nuernbergk C. (2022). Public Sphere Conceptions: Public Sphere Theory. In Krone J., & Pellegrini T. (Eds.), Handbook of Media and Communication Economics. Springer VS. (Living Reference) https://10.1007/978-3-658-34048-3_55-2

    Nuernbergk, C. (2022). Social Network Analysis. In I. Borucki, K. Kleinen-von Königslöw, S. Marschall & T. Zerback (Hrsg.), Handbuch Politische Kommunikation (S. 713-724). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. https://10.1007/978-3-658-26242-6_54-1

    Waldherr, A., Geise, S., Mahrt, M., Katzenbach, C., & Nuernbergk, C. (2021). Toward a Stronger Theoretical Grounding of Computational Communication Science: How Macro Frameworks Shape Our Research Agendas. Computational Communication Research3 (2), S. 1-28. https://doi.org/10.5117/CCR2021.02.002.WALD

    Bruns, A., & Nuernbergk, C. (2019). Political Journalists and Their Social Media Audiences: New Power Relations. Media and Communication, 7(1), 198-212. DOI:10.17645/mac.v7i1.1759

    Bruns, A., Nuernbergk, C., & Schapals, A. K. (2018). What Journalists Share: A Comparative Study of the National Press Corps in Australia and Germany. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Social Media and Society (SMSociety ’18). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 256–260. DOI:10.1145/3217804.3217924

    Neuberger, C., Nuernbergk, C., & Langenohl, S. (2018). Journalism as Multichannel Communication: A Newsroom Survey on the Multiple Uses of Social Media. Journalism Studies 20 (9),1260-1280. DOI:10.1080/1461670X.2018.1507685

    Nuernbergk, C., & Neuberger, C. (Hrsg.). (2018). Journalismus im Internet: Profession – Partizipation – Technisierung (2., erw. u. überarb. Aufl.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. | E-Book

    Nuernbergk, C., & Conrad, J. (2016). Conversations and Campaign Dynamics in a Hybrid Media Environment. Use of Twitter by Members of the German Bundestag. Social Media + Society, 2(1), 1-14. DOI:10.1177/2056305116628888

    Nuernbergk, C. (2016). Political Journalists’ Interaction Networks: The German Federal Press Conference on Twitter. Journalism Practice, 10(7), 868-879. DOI:10.1080/17512786.2016.1162669

    Nuernbergk, C., Wladarsch, J., Neubarth, J., & Neuberger, C. (2016): Social Media Use in the German Election Campaign 2013. In: A. Bruns, E. Skogerbø, C. Christensen, A. O. Larsson, & G. S. Enli (Hrsg.), Routledge Companion to Social Media and Politics (S. 419-433). London: Routledge.

    Nuernbergk, C. (2014). Follow-Up Communication in the Blogosphere. A comparative study of bloggers' linking to professional and participatory media. Digital Journalism, 2(3), 434-445. DOI:10.1080/21670811.2014.895520

    Neuberger, C., & Nuernbergk, C. (2010). Competition, complementarity or integration? The relationship between professional and participatory media. Journalism practice, 4(3), 319-332. DOI:10.1080/17512781003642923