This project focuses on mediatised scandalisation processes as a critical subject of comparative research. Scandals reveal dynamics within journalism and offer insights into the political system, as developments in one field often have direct consequences for the other or originate from one another.

Against this background, the project investigates cross-national commonalities and differences in mediatised scandalisation processes across Europe.

The project combines large-scale quantitative and qualitative content analysis with semi-structured interviews with journalists in three European countries.

It is investigated: (1) which types of misconduct and norm transgressions are scandalised by journalists; (2) how mediatised scandals unfold; and (3) what economic, political, and societal influences journalists perceive when reporting on scandals.

This international project investigates how AI applications can support local news media. The intent is to help enable local news media to better deal with the economic issues they face while meeting their socio-ethical responsibilities.

AI applications in local journalism should be also responsible, i.e. they should not only increase economic efficiency, but contribute to local media’s democratic role in society by adhering to professional values and ethical standards.

The project mainly focuses on conducting Design Thinking projects in collaboration with local news organisations in Germany and the analysis of conditions that facilitate or constrain responsible AI.

More specifically, intra-organisational conditions and inter-organisational (i.e., AI ecosystems) and societal (i.e., media funding and media governance) conditions are investigated that facilitate or constrain responsible AI.