Convergence, in other words the consolidation of previously separate working,
production and distribution methods is one of the central developments
inherent to modern journalism. The term “cross-media” refers to changes in
organisation, planning, production, and publication of journalistic content. The
so-called “integrated newsroom” is often seen as the answer to economic
pressures currently exerted on journalism.
Extensive studies dedicated to the effects of these processes on the quality of
reporting have been few and far between. That is why, within the scope of my
dissertation, I would like to examine how transformation processes in
systematically selected media companies in Germany impact on the working
conditions of journalists and the quality of their editorial output. The study will
identify opportunities and problems facing new forms of organisation and
contribute towards ensuring that high quality news and information journalism
continue to be available throughout Germany.
The influence of cross-media workflows in newsrooms on working conditions and the editorial output at the individual level
MEMBER IN THE JOINT ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP
since
Prof. Dr. Ralf Hohlfeld
Lehrstuhl für Kommunikationswissenschaft
Project:
Prof. Dr. Barbara Brandstetter
Dr Barbara Brandstetter has been a professor for Economic Journalism at Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences since 2011. She is head of the Media & User Experience Competence Centre and is responsible for the focal area of Cross Media in the InformationManagement and Corporate Communications study programme. Barbara Brandstetter has long-standing professional experience as an editor in economic and financial editorial offices
(including Welt, Welt am Sonntag, Berliner Morgenpost). Her thematic focus lies in pension schemes, taxes, insurances, and financial investments. Her fields of research encompass business and consumer journalism, usability & UK as well as media economics. She studied romance studies (linguistics), economics, and journalism in Hamburg, and completed an economic traineeship at Axel Springer school of journalism. Barbara Brandstetter is a member of the administrative council of Stiftung Warentest (leading German consumer safety group), of the advisory committee of Marktwächter Finanzen and on the jury for journalistic prizes. Her reference book “Verbraucherjournalismus” (consumer
journalism) was published in 2014. In 2017, she published the textbook “Wirtschaft – Basiswissen für die Medienpraxis” (Economy – Basic Knowledge for Media Practice) (co-author: Steffen Range). Brandstetter writes a regular column on financial themes (asset issues) in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Projects:
Michael Sengl
University of Passau
Since October 2018 Michael Sengl has worked as a research assistant for Dr
Ralf Hohfeld at the Chair for Communication Science at the University of
Passau. In his lectures, he predominantly communicates the challenges facing
quality journalism in the digital era. He devotes research to this topic, too, both
as part of his dissertation on “the influence of cross-media workflows in
newsrooms on working conditions and the editorial output at the individual
level” and in studies on the causes of “fake news” and how we can circumvent
them.
In addition to this work at the Chair for Communication Science he works at
the Passau Centre for Digitalisation in Society (CeDiS). This centre
coordinates a range of interdisciplinary and cross-faculty degrees that explore
the manifold challenges posed to our society by digitalisation. What is more,
the CeDiS, as an interface between management, research, and teaching,
also pursues the goal of connecting other areas of research and teaching in
the context of digitalisation.
