Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut

What Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut does

The Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI) is a non-profit research institute founded in 1950 in Hamburg, Germany, operating under the Leibniz Association (Leibniz-Gemeinschaft) with core funding from the German federal government and the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. With 57 employees, HBI is organized around four research programs covering the transformation of public communication, regulatory structures in digital communication spaces, knowledge for the media society, and communicative AI. Its research focuses on media change, structural changes in public communication, regulatory frameworks for digital platforms, and the societal implications of AI. The institute is also the German partner institute for the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, conducting annual representative surveys on news consumption across 48 countries.

HBI's core outputs are academic publications and policy-relevant research. It publishes the open-access quarterly journal Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft (M&K) via Nomos-Verlag (since 1953), working papers, annual reports, and the monthly BredowCast podcast. Its proprietary research methods include the Socio-Technical Ecosystem Architecture Method (STEAM) for visualizing news distribution on digital platforms, developed jointly with Universität Hamburg, and an Aspect-Based Argument Mining (ABAM) technique for analyzing argumentation patterns in large text corpora. The institute operates the DFG-funded ComAI research group on communicative AI (9 sub-projects with partners in Bremen, Vienna, and Graz) and the VolkswagenStiftung-funded STEAM project (~€1.5M). It also produces applied research for public broadcasters (Hessischer Rundfunk, ARD), political foundations (Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung), and media regulators (Medienanstalt Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein).

HBI's business model is grant-driven and non-commercial. Base institutional funding from the Leibniz Association covers core operations; third-party competitive grants from DFG, VolkswagenStiftung, and similar bodies fund specific research programs; and commissioned research from foundations, broadcasters, and public-sector clients generates supplementary project revenue. All publications are open access, no commercial products are sold, and the institute charges no usage fees. Recent milestones include the December 2025 move to a newly renovated headquarters at Warburgstraße 30 B and the 75th anniversary program of events.

Name

Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut

Legal name

Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut

Website

https://leibniz-hbi.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI) is a Hamburg-based non-profit Leibniz Association research institute founded in 1950, employing 57 staff to study media change, digital platform regulation, and communicative AI for academic, policy, and media-industry audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media and Communication Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Policy, Data Governance & Cybersecurity Standards Cooperation (BPADANAH)

Keywords

• Media research
• Communication studies
• Platform governance
• Digital regulation
• Journalism studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Institutional Public Funding: Base institutional funding through the Leibniz Association (Leibniz-Gemeinschaft), a publicly funded research association. This provides core operational funding for the institute's research programs and infrastructure.
2. Third-Party Research Funding (VolkswagenStiftung): Project-specific funding from VolkswagenStiftung for the STEAM project on algorithmic systems regulation. Approximately 1.5 million euros over three to four years.
3. Third-Party Research Funding (DFG): Funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) for the ComAI research group on communicative AI, investigating consequences of AI on societal communication.
4. Commissioned Research (Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung): Commissioned publication project by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung on public broadcasting in times of platforms and AI.
5. Commissioned Research (Hessischer Rundfunk): Research contract from Hessischer Rundfunk for the historical study of the Hessian Broadcasting Corporation in the post-war period.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI) is a publicly funded non-profit research institute that conducts interdisciplinary research on media change, the transformation of public communication, regulatory structures in digital communication spaces, and the consequences of communicative AI. It produces open-access academic publications, policy-relevant research studies, expert advisory services for regulators and media organizations, and science communication events such as lectures, symposia, and a podcast.

Product overview

Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI) is a research institute focused on media research, not a product company. It offers a portfolio of academic publications and research services including the peer-reviewed journal 'Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft' (M&K), working paper series, annual reports, and the 'BredowCast' podcast. The institute organizes research-focused event series including Leibniz Media Lectures, Leibniz Media Lunch Talks, and the annual Hamburger Mediensymposium. It conducts applied research on digital communication, platform governance, AI in journalism, and regulatory frameworks, producing studies such as the Reuters Institute Digital News Report for Germany. Research projects include studies on communicative AI, algorithmic systems, media history, youth media protection, and public dialogue formats. The institute serves academic and policy audiences through publications, conferences, and science communication activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft (M&K) Journal

Quantifiable outcome

• The Reuters Institute Digital News Report provides annual representative surveys covering 48 countries on news consumption trends.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, University of OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The HBI serves as the German partner for the annual Reuters Institute Digital News Survey, conducting the German sub-study as part of representative surveys covering 48 countries on news consumption trends and media transformation.
• Medienanstalt Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein (MA HSH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Annual co-organizer of the Hamburger Mediensymposium with approximately 150 participants from media research, law, policy, and practice.
• Handelskammer HamburgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Annual co-organizer of the Hamburger Mediensymposium held at the Handelskammer venue, bringing together industry and academic perspectives on media transformation.
• Friedrich-Ebert-StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Commissioned publication project by Magdalena Stratmann on public broadcasting in times of platforms and AI, including comparative studies across seven European countries.
• Hessischer Rundfunk (hr)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Commissioned research contract for the historical study of the Hessian Broadcasting Corporation in the post-war period, led by Dr. Hans-Ulrich Wagner.
• ARDminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Research partnership for the 'What Unites Germany' dialogue initiative, studying how structured dialogue formats can influence attitudes and perceptions of social cohesion.
• Forschungsinstitut Gesellschaftlicher Zusammenhalt (FGZ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025HBI hosts the Hamburg section of the Research Institute Social Cohesion (RISC), conducting research on how media and communication influence social interaction and societal cohesion.
• ZeMKI (Zentrum für Medien-, Kommunikations- und Informationsforschung), Universität BremencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-coordinator of the DFG-funded ComAI research group investigating communicative AI. Joint research on journalism, public discourse, and AI automation in societal communication.
• Universität WiencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in the ComAI DFG research group examining how AI changes societal communication across different social domains including journalism, public discourse, and healthcare.
• Universität GrazcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in the ComAI DFG research group examining how AI changes societal communication, contributing expertise on digital transformation and media studies.
• Universität Hamburg (Fachbereich Informatik)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Research collaboration with Prof. Tilo Böhmann, Prof. Ingrid Schirmer, and Prof. Judith Simon from the Computer Science department for developing the STEAM methodology at the intersection of law, ethics, and technology.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Broad incumbents

• MIT Media Lab: Larger and broader research lab at MIT studying emerging technologies including media, AI, and human-machine interaction. Comparable in interdisciplinary research portfolio but operates at materially larger scale and broader technology scope.

Emerging players

• AlgorithmWatch: Munich/Berlin-based non-profit researching algorithmic decision-making and AI accountability. Highly comparable in platform governance and AI ethics focus, though smaller and more advocacy-oriented.
• Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV): Berlin-based think tank focused on digital policy and technology regulation. Comparable in policy advisory focus on AI and platform governance but with a smaller, more advocacy-flavored operating model.

Direct peers

• Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society: Harvard-based research center studying cyberspace, AI, and governance. Comparable in mission to study digital policy and the societal impacts of internet and AI, with strong law and policy focus.
• Pew Research Center: U.S. non-profit that conducts public opinion research and demographic studies, including flagship digital news and media research. Comparable in producing recurring, internationally cited media and public-opinion research outputs.
• ZeMKI (Centre for Media, Communication and Information Research), University of Bremen: Active research partner of HBI on the DFG-funded ComAI research group. Comparable in focus on media and communication research with strong emphasis on digital transformation and journalism studies.
• Oxford Internet Institute (OII): University of Oxford department studying the social implications of the internet. Direct peer in research on digital platforms, AI governance, and internet policy with comparable interdisciplinary structure.
• Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Oxford-based research institute focused on journalism and digital news, and HBI's established partner on the Reuters Institute Digital News Report. Highly comparable in scope, prestige, and policy- and media-facing research output.
• Weizenbaum Institute: Berlin-based research institute funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research studying the interrelation of digitalization and society. Closely comparable in public funding model, interdisciplinary scope, and policy advisory role.
• Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG): Berlin-based, German non-profit research institute studying the internet and society from a law, economics, and social science perspective. Highly comparable in mission, funding model, and focus on digital regulation and platform governance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leibniz-institut-fuer-medienforschung

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut