University of Southern Denmark Awards Honorary Doctorate to Founder of New Research Field
Existential Media Studies, established by Amanda Lagerkvist, has become an important theoretical and empirical approach to understanding digital culture. In recognition of her contributions to the field, Lagerkvist has been awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of Southern Denmark. Congratulations!
Ytre-Arne and Moe with a New Book on News Saturation
News avoidance has been a growing topic of scholarly interest. “In a complementary effort, our work focuses on a different part of that phenomenon: those people who say they sometimes or often avoid the news, but are not extreme or consistent avoiders”, say Brita Ytre-Arne and Hallvard Moe about their new book.
Bad Metaphors: When Robots Became Agents
The term “robot journalism” has largely disappeared from news headlines, though robot images still illustrate stories about AI in newsrooms. Meanwhile, a new metaphor has taken hold: the “AI agent”. Carl-Gustav Lindén and Laurence Dierickx from the University of Bergen argue that it attributes even more human agency to software, and that journalists and researchers alike tend to use it without asking what it actually describes.
The Role of Positive Emotions in Populist Communication
Positive emotions play an important role in populist communication, yet they have received relatively little attention in research. In an interview with NordMedia Network, researchers Jesper Eklund and Jon Järviniemi discuss how emotional appeals shape political identities, the role of social media, and what a broader Nordic perspective could add to our understanding of populism.
Can We Build Our Own Algorithms? A Workshop in Challenging the Machines
Scissors, glue, magazines, and colourful pens are spread across the tables at Villa Kultur in Copenhagen. The task sounds a bit unusual: building your own algorithm. We joined the reception for Jannie Møller Hartley’s new book "Just for You: Inside the Personalisation Algorithms that Curate Our Image of the World" to find out what happens when we take the power to choose back from the machines – at least for an afternoon.
How Are the Nordic Academics Doing?
Recently published reports from Norway, Denmark, and Sweden have mapped the working conditions of researchers, and the findings are far from encouraging.
NordMedia27: Call for Temporary Working Groups and Division Transition Applications
NordMedia invites proposals for new and continuing Temporary Working Groups (TWGs), as well as applications from established TWGs seeking to transition into formal Divisions. NordMedia27 will be held in Helsinki, Finland, on 11–13 August 2027.
When Accused of Research Misconduct, Who is There to Support You?
For academics, an allegation of research misconduct can lead to a lengthy and difficult process. The rapid development and growing use of AI are also raising new questions about research integrity, with recent cases in Sweden highlighting some of the challenges involved. Against this backdrop, we examined how universities across the Nordic countries are responding, and what support is available to researchers facing allegations of research misconduct.
Media Cynics – or Disappointed Media Romantics? Understanding Distrust in the News Media
What makes people deeply distrust established news media? In their new book "Nationens fiender", Peter Jakobsson and Fredrik Stiernstedt examine some of journalism’s harshest critics – and find that their relationship with the media is more complex than it might first appear.
Examining Representations of Ageing in the Nordic Welfare States
A newly published article, “Framing healthy aging and digital technologies: News Coverage in the Nordic Welfare States (2017–2022)”, explores how newspapers support or challenge Nordic welfare state principles by how they frame older citizens. With a population aging at a pace parallel to increasing digitalisation, the need for new digital solutions for healthcare is becoming apparent, and media representation is more important than ever.
Alternative Media Research Enters a New Stage
The edited volume, Alternative Media in European Contexts: Theoretical Cornerstones, Methodological Challenges, and Systemic Conditions, examines how the study of alternative media has developed into an increasingly diverse and established field of research. Bringing together theoretical, methodological, and systemic perspectives, the book argues that alternative media studies are now entering a third stage.
New Book Takes on Local Communities Dominated by Social Media
Steen Steensen from OsloMet presents a new book in which, through an ethnographic exploration of two distinct communities in Denmark and England, he seeks to answer how the retreat of local journalism and the advance of social media platforms are reshaping democracy at the grassroots level.
The Loneliest Person at the Conference
This year’s ECREA conference is over. If you are a senior scholar, how many young researchers did you approach, include, or introduce to someone new? If you see someone standing alone, cross the room and start a conversation. It may take only a minute, but they might remember it for the rest of their career.
Nordicom Hosts Second Academic Publishing Workshop for Doctoral Students
Nordicom recently hosted its second workshop on academic publishing for doctoral students. Thirteen young Nordic scholars came together in Gothenburg for a two-day exploration of the academic publishing landscape, preparing manuscripts for journal submission, and navigating the peer review process.
Young Danes Are Now the Most Willing to Pay for News, New Report from Roskilde University Shows
Young Danes aged 18–24 are now the age group most willing to pay for news, according to a new report. They have overtaken older age groups aged 55 and above, who have traditionally shown the highest willingness to pay for news.
“You Are Also Part of Baking the Cake” – Understanding the Machines that Shape Our News
Algorithms increasingly influence which news stories reach us, what information we encounter, and ultimately how we see the world. But how much do we really understand about the systems making those choices? Jannie Møller Hartley has spent years researching algorithms from inside news organisations. In this interview, she talks about entering the world of machines, why algorithms are less mysterious than we might think – and why we should all pay more attention to them.
Review of PhD Dissertation: Infrastructuring Counterpublics: Digital Engagement and Distributed Attention in Russian Anti-War Movements
Svetlana Chuikina's Infrastructuring Counterpublics: Digital Engagement and Distributed Attention in Russian Anti-War Movements arrives at a moment when its object of study is being made and unmade in real time. The people Chuikina studies — Russians who oppose the war and try to keep that opposition alive — are doing so under conditions that shift month by month: a platform blocked, a VPN removed, an organiser detained, a border crossed. A dissertation written about such a moving target risks being overtaken by events before it is printed. This one is not, because Chuikina has understood that the durable object of her study is not any particular protest or platform, but the process by which dissent is built out of available media infrastructures, writes Tiziano Bonini from the University of Siena.
Nordicom Review Reaches Milestone Q1 Position in Web of Science Rankings
For the first time, Nordicom Review has reached the top quartile (Q1) in the Web of Science ranking of international communication journals. With a Journal Impact Factor of 2.5 for 2025, the Nordic Diamond Open Access journal has achieved its strongest position to date.
When the Scam Knows Your Work: AI Takes Academic Fraud to a New Level
Generative AI has taken scam emails targeting academics to a new level. Scammers can now be more personal, more creative, and much more convincing. The poorly written messages that once immediately raised suspicion are giving way to carefully crafted emails that seem to know who you are, what you research, and what might stroke your ego.
“We See It Everywhere” – Manuel Menke on the Growing Importance of the Past
Why are politicians, social media users, and even AI systems increasingly turning to the past? According to Associate Professor Manuel Menke, the answer may lie in a present marked by rapid change, uncertainty, and growing concerns about the future.