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Juryvorsitzender Matthias Karmasin, Preisträgerin Anna Bürkl, Bildungsminister Martin Polaschek und Markus Mair, Präsident des Verbands Österreichische Zeitungen
Eisenstadt/Vienna, May 2024 - For the fifth year running, graduates of the Digital Media and Communication Master's degree programme at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences have submitted their theses for the VÖZ Prize for Media Research - with great success for the fourth time. Anna Bürkl receives the "Hannes Haas Prize" of the VÖZ, which is endowed with 2,000 euros and is currently the most highly endowed academic prize for media in Austria. It is awarded by VÖZ, APA and the Initiative Qualität im Journalismus (IQ) and is under the patronage of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. The award ceremony took place on 21 May 2024.
Programme director and Master's thesis supervisor Michael Roither is delighted: "As the supervisor of the Master's thesis, but also as head of the Master's degree programme in Digital Media and Communication at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences, I am extremely pleased about this great success. This is the fourth time in the last five years that we have been able to impress the jury with the quality of the Master's theses produced at Burgenland UAS." His graduate came out on top against numerous theses from other universities and universities of applied sciences.
Anna Bürkl has looked into the question of which quality features online media in Austria should invest in in order to be profitable in terms of both costs and success with recipients. Her academic work has provided exciting new insights for media practice.
Michael Roither, Head of degree programme and Master's thesis supervisor
Advancing digitalisation is leading to profound changes in journalism. Younger user groups in particular are turning away from traditional offline media offerings such as television or newspapers in favour of (easily accessible) online offerings. In a recent study by the Digital News Report 2023, almost two thirds (65.7 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds surveyed stated that they use online news sources as their main news sources. Among the over 55s, the proportion was just under a quarter (23.9 per cent) in 2023.
"In view of the increasing 'tabloidisation' of journalism, quality media need to adapt accordingly, reposition themselves and meet readers where they are," Bürkl recommends. "In my master's thesis, I looked at the question of which quality factors are worth investing in in order to reach and retain readers as a quality medium." Bürkl surveyed German-speaking people living in Austria who consume online newspapers more than once a week. Almost 500 people answered her questions. She also spoke to editors-in-chief of Austrian media about the costs and resources required to provide the respective quality factors.
The author of the study was also surprised by some of her findings. For example, that readers also demand strongly normative quality criteria online. "Objectivity and comprehensibility are at the top of the list of readers' expectations, while multimedia and participation, for example, are at the bottom of the list." Nevertheless, internet-specific criteria should not be neglected: "They may play a minor role in direct enquiries, but they are all the more important in the subconscious evaluation of a medium."
As a media company, I should know my target groups and their needs precisely. This is the only way to find out which criteria are particularly in demand and whether it is worth investing in them in terms of costs and resources.
Anna Bürkl, graduate and prizewinner
Objectivity and comprehensibility in media reports could be promoted quite cost-effectively, for example through regular staff training. Investments in digitalisation, multimedia and topicality are in turn major cost items, but unavoidable.
Anna Bürkl, born in 1997, lives and works in Vienna. She studied journalism at the University of Vienna and then decided to do a Master's degree in Digital Media and Communication at the Burgenland University of Applied Sciences. Professionally, she chose the path of PR and is currently working at k-digital, a company of the media house KURIER.
Information on the Master's degree programme in Digital Media and Communication at www.fh-burgenland.at Registration is still possible until 31 May 2024.
Further information:
Mag.a Christiane Staab
Marketing & Communication
Fachhochschule Burgenland GmbH
Tel: +43 (0)5 7705 3537
E-Mail: christiane.staab@hochschule-burgenland.at
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