Volume 20, issue 1 (2026) is out! With theoretically and methodologically diverse studies from 🇮🇩 🇮🇳 🇳🇱 🇧🇪 🇸🇪 🇮🇱 🇳🇿 🇨🇦 and 🇺🇸, two commentaries from @desireeschmuck.bsky.social and Yağmur Gümüşboğa and two book reviews by Djoymi Baker and @devinasarwatay.bsky.social. 🔗 www.tandfonline.com/toc/rchm20/2...

PhD researchers from our lab were recognized with Top Paper Awards at #ICA2025! 🔹 @elienbeelen.bsky.social – Trigger warnings & media effects 🔹 @margotlissens.bsky.social – Gen Z news consumption 🔹 @darianharff.bsky.social – Trust in political influencers See more: soc.kuleuven.be/smc/news/phd...

During the last weeks, we hosted @lcjacobs89.bsky.social at our lab for a research stay. During this terrific time, she gave an insightful talk on authenticity in political communication! It was a pleasure hosting you and we all look forward to seeing you again soon, Laura!

2️⃣ In the concept paper, we argue that closeness to opinion followers in status can make opinion leaders seem *attainable*. In the second pub @jmcquarterly.bsky.social, we (w/ @heleendekoninck.bsky.social and @desireeschmuck.bsky.social) present a measure for attainability: doi.org/10.1177/1077...

📝📝 Excited to announce two new publications! 1️⃣ Together with Paula Stehr and @desireeschmuck.bsky.social, I wrote a conceptual paper that has now been published in New Media & Society. This article is all about opinion leadership & social media influencers! Read it here: doi.org/10.1177/1461...

The VMCI lab is very happy to welcome @lcjacobs89.bsky.social for a research stay! We hope you enjoy your time at our department and we look forward to exciting collaborations!

🌟 New year, new horizons: We’re extending our social media presence to BlueSky and LinkedIn 🔗 (www.linkedin.com/company/vmci...)! Excited to connect with fellow researchers and share updates on our research 😊✨ For more information, check out our website: mediainnovation.univie.ac.at