Media Literacy

In the Media Literacy professorship, we conduct research on the ability of individuals, organisations and societies to use media appropriately for communicative purposes, all the while being aware of the interaction between medium, media use and societal developments. For example, we investigate to what extent media users are able to differentiate between articles produced by strategic actors and those produced by journalists, as well as their ability to interpret clues about the non-journalistic actors and their communicative interests. This enables us to discover how users of public communication receive and interpret information. Such knowledge acts as a catalyst for advancing research because it helps us to understand how public communication impacts different groups in society in different contexts. In the professional world and in society in general, this knowledge has an important role to play in better understanding how public information is disseminated and opinions are formed.

The primary focus of the IAM – and therefore central in the respective BA and MA programmes – is how professionals in the field of communication, i.e. in organisational communication and journalism, expertly handle media-mediated communication. At the same time, professional communicators are increasingly focusing on how to empower their audiences and strengthen their ability to competently use media. This development is reflected in our activities, including in a new teaching module offered in the BA in Communication and Media Studies.