In addition to application-oriented topics, the Department of Journalism also devotes itself to basic research and cooperates with colleagues at the Mainz Department of Communication (Institut für Publizistik, IfP), among others. For example, it is involved in the long-term Mainz study “Media Trust”, which regularly examines the attitudes and trust of the population towards journalism.

Other topics concern internationalization, and here especially the transnational organizations and networks in which media cooperate (as in the “Panama Papers” and other major investigations). Investigative journalism and the reporting on terrorism and political extremism are also among the focal points at the seminar.

In addition, innovations, new trends and format developments in journalism will be examined, such as data journalism, multimedia / immersive formats and podcasts. The change and (lack of) diversity in newsrooms, the situation and future of journalistic newcomers are further topics.

Media ethics has always been important for reflection and research at the Department of Journalism. Case studies are produced here as well as fundamental theoretical work.