Institute for Media Research and Development

Objectives

Through research, advice from editorial staff and media companies, offers of further education and scientific services, the intention is for the economy and science to profit from the work of IMEA. With the realization of projects relevant for external funding and the transfer of new knowledge into teaching, we would like to contribute to the competitive edge of the university. By working at the interface between technology, media, sustainability and internationalization, we are also strengthening the internationalization strategy of the university.

Main Focus of Work

Currently we are dedicated to the topics of innovation and internationalization. We focus on the communication of change process, seen from the perspective of not only the companies’ and organizations’ communication, but also from the perspective of journalists. Furthermore, we want to increase our involvement with innovation in the media. In everything that we do, we aspire to assume a global perspective. That is why we are searching for international cooperation partners, in order to realize research and consultancy projects together. Of course, at the same time we also want to include regional companies.

Consultancy and Scientific Services for Companies and Organizations

We advise industrial companies and organizations in the development of complex communication strategies. In contrast to agencies, we adopt a strictly integrative approach to this. We already integrate communication in the early stages of strategy development and do not regard it as a subordinate stage. Moreover, we can advise companies and organizations impartially if they want their communication strategies to be evaluated.

Projects

One of our first activities was a Study Trip for Chief Editors, which was set up and realized by Professor Dr Andreas Schümchen and Technical Journalism graduate Jennifer Schwanenberg, together with the periodical „mediummagazin“. In 2013 and 2014 we guided 20 chief editors of German newspapers and online-publications to enterprises, ideas and start-ups in Silicon Valley, in order to prepare them for upcoming changes. Together with various partners, we plan to develop research designs, which will enable publishers and broadcasters to gain realizable insights for practical applications.

Together with Deutsche Post DHL and the Fraunhofer-Society we organize the „German Prize for Innovation Journalism“. The competition was first advertised in November 2012 and a prize has been awarded since then in 2013 and in 2014. The IMEA conceived and organized the journalists’ competition and serves as its commercial office.

In the Study of Acceptance of Preventive Measures in Professional Trades by Professor Dr Michael Krzeminski and Andreas Viehof, they investigated how preventive measures were accepted by tradesmen and women, and how health messages can be imparted sustainably to a specific group of professionals. The project was supported by the Institute for Health and Safety at Work of the German Statutory Accident Insurance (IFA). In February 2014 Krzeminski and Viehof presented their research projects in the area of health communication at an international conference in Ahmedabad, India. 

In June 2013 Professor Dr Michael Krzeminski represented the Institute at a workshop of the „Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum“. Together with colleagues from America, India and Pakistan he discussed how significant journalism and media are at present, especially in rural areas.

During the „International Journalism Week“ at the University Abat Oliba (UAO) in Barcelona from 4th-8th March 2013, Professor Dr Andreas Schümchen and Jennifer Schwanenberg presented their lecture „The Concept of Innovation Journalism“.

In cooperation with the Master’s students (class of 2013) of the study program Technology and Innovation Communication, qualitative interviews were held with the nominees of the German Prize for Innovation Journalism 2013. The Investigation into How Innovation Stories originate was good practice for the students, while at the same time also laying the initial foundation for future investigations by the Institute.

The IMEA staged the event entitled „The End of the One-Way Street – towards a new relationship between journalists and the public“, in cooperation with the Tutzinger Journalists’ Academy for Political Education, Tutzing on 27th and 28th October 2016, which was a specialist conference. The event was conceived by Professor Dr Andreas Schümchen together with Sebastian Haas from the Tutzinger Academy. You can find detailed information about the program at www.apb-tutzing.de.