Jun.-Prof. Dr. Fabian Prochazka

Fabian Prochazka is an assistant professor of communication studies with a focus on interpersonal communication in the context of digitalization at the University of Erfurt.

He was previously a research employee at the University of Hohenheim, where he completed his doctorate in 2019 on the topic of trust in journalism under online conditions. Fabian Prochazka studied communication science and political science at the University of Salzburg, where he worked as a research assistant in the European research project EU Kids Online and a long-term study on media socialization.

• Since 2021 assistant professor for communication studies, University of Erfurt
• 2014-2021 Research employee, Institute for Communication Science, University of Hohenheim
• 2015-2021 self-employed in market and media research
• 2007-2013 Studies (B.A. & M.A.) Communication Science and Political Science at the University of Salzburg

Digitalization has lowered the barriers to accessing the public: Where previously journalistic gatekeepers determined which topics society was concerned with, today private individuals, celebrities, organisations, etc. can address the public directly and enter into a direct exchange. This means that interpersonal and mass communication are much more integrated and interlinked than ever before.

Fabian Prochazka analyzes how the public sphere and the political opinion-forming of citizens are changing under these conditions. The focus lies on three intertwined topics:

1. online discourses in digital public spheres

2. the relationship between journalism and the public under online conditions

3. non-journalistic actors and political opinion-forming in the online public sphere

Jakobs, I., Pohle, H., Klawier, T., Prochazka, F., Fawzi, N., Steindl, N., Arlt, D., Dohle, M., Engelke, K., Jackob, N., Obermaier, M., Schweiger, W., Ziegele, M. (2025, June). The role of socialization-related factors for adolescents' trust in news media. Paper presented at the ICA 2025 Preconference Media, Trust & Technology, Boulder, USA.

Steindl, N., Jakobs, I., Fawzi, N., Obermaier, M., Dohle, M., Arlt, D., Ziegele, M., Jackob, N., Engelke, K., Schweiger, W., Klawier, T., Pohle, H., Prochazka, F. (2025, June). Reasons for trust: general and situation-specific reasons for media trust among adolescents in Germany. Paper presented at the ICA 2025 Preconference Media, Trust & Technology, Boulder, USA.

Augsburg, F., Prochazka, F., Thomm, E., & Bauer, J. (2025, June). Between facts and question marks: how journalists understand and handle scientific uncertainty in times of multiple crises. Paper presented at the 75th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, Denver, USA.

Fawzi, N., Obermaier, M., Dohle, M., Steindl, N., Arlt, D., Schweiger, W., Ziegele, M., Klawier, T., Pohle, H., & Prochazka, F. (2024, September). Exploring young media users' understandings and origins of media trust. Evidence from qualitative interviews with German adolescents. Paper presented at the 10th European Communication Conference, Ljubljana, Slowenia.

Beckers, K., Hopmann, D. N.; Prochazka, F.; Schuck, A.; Soontjens, K. (2024, May). Projection in journalists' public opinion perceptions. Paper presented at the 74th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, Gold Coast, Australia.

Pohle, H., & Prochazka, F. (2024, May). The role of online feedback for audience images of regional and local journalists. Paper presented at the 74th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, Gold Coast, Australia. 

Prochazka, F., Cantzler, J., Göthert, H., Hartung, S., Konermann, S., Lotz, J., Neureither, E., Nittel, R. (2024, January). Selbst-Effekte durch politische Kommentare in sozialen Medien [Self-effects through political comments on social media]. Paper presented at the 2024 Annual Conference of the DGPuK Division Reception and Effects Research, Fribourg, Switzerland.

Fawzi, N., Jakobs, I., Steindl, N., Obermaier, M., Arlt, D., Dohle, M., Engelke, K. M., Jackob, N., Klawier, T., Pohle, H., Prochazka, F., Schweiger, W., & Ziegele, M. (2023, November). Glaubwürdigkeitsheuristiken und die Entwicklung von Medienmisstrauen – Erkenntnisse aus qualitativen Interviews mit Jugendlichen [Credibility heuristics and the development of media distrust – Insights from qualitative interviews with adolescents]. Paper presented at the 2023 Annual Conference of the DGPuK Division 'Sociology of Media Communication' on the topic of 'Media Distrust', Mannheim.

Temme, H., Jenny, M. A., Prochazka, F., Geiger, M., Betsch, C. (2023, Oktober). Klimawandelanpassung und Eindämmung: Hindernisse für gesundheits- und umweltfreundliches Verhalten aus Expert*innenperspektive [Climate change adaptation and mitigation: Barriers to health- and environmentally-friendly behavior from an expert perspective]. Paper presented at the conference 'Behavioural and cultural insights' of the network 'Behavioural Insights Connect', Berlin.

Hetzel, N., Klawier, T., Prochazka, F., & Schweiger, W. (2023, September). Wer glaubt an Verschwörungstheorien über COVID-19? [Who believes in conspiracy theories about COVID-19?] Paper presented at the scientific conference of the 'Center for Analysis and Research' at the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution on the topic of 'Opinion Formation 2.0 – Strategies in the Struggle for Interpretive Sovereignty in the Digital Age', Berlin.

Pohle, H. & Prochazka, F. (2023, May). Die Rolle von Online-Feedback für Publikumsbilder von Regional- und Lokaljournalistinnen. Eine qualitative Interviewstudie [The role of online feedback for audience images of regional and local journalists: A qualitative interview study]. Paper presented at the 68th Annual Conference of the DGPuK, Bremen.

Fawzi, N., Arlt, D., Blöbaum, B., Dohle, M., Engelke, K., Jakobs, I., Hanitzsch, T., Jackob, N., Klawier, T., Obermaier, M., Post, S., Prochazka, F., Reinemann, C., Schweiger, W., Steindl, N., Ziegele, M. (2021, September). A Literature Review of Trust in news media. Paper presented at the ^8th European Communication Conference, Braga, Portugal.

Prochazka, F. (2021, September). Naïve and informed trust in news media. Paper presented at the ^8th European Communication Conference, Braga, Portugal.

Prochazka, F. & Obermaier, M. (2021, May). Trust Through Transparency? How Journalistic Reactions to Media-Critical User Comments Affect Quality Perceptions and Intentions. Paper presented at the ^71st Annual Conference of the International Communication Association.

Prochazka, F. & Obermaier, M. (2021, February). Vertrauen durch Dialog? Wie journalistische Reaktionen auf Medienkritik in Nutzerkommentaren die wahrgenommene Qualität einer Medienmarke beeinflussen. [Trust through dialogue? How journalistic reactions to media criticism in user comments influence the perceived quality of a media brand.] Presentation at the annual conference of the DGPuK specialist group Reception and Impact Research, Munich.

Prochazka, F. (2020, February). Der Einfluss von Qualitätswahrnehmungen auf Vertrauen in Journalismus. [The influence of quality perceptions on trust in journalism.] Presentation at the annual conference of the DGPuK specialist group on communication and politics on the topic of "Disinformation, populism, "lying press" - trust and credibility in political communication", Mainz.

Weber, P. & Prochazka, F. (2020, January). Die Wirkung von Nutzerkommentaren in unterschiedlichen Situationen der Urteilsbildung. [The effect of user comments in different situations of judgement formation.] Presentation at the annual conference of the DGPuK specialist group Reception and Impact Research, Würzburg.

can be found in the course catalogue of the University of Erfurt