Hilde Van den Bulck

Hilde Van den Bulck is a Professor of Communication at Drexel University, where she serves as Department Head of the Department of Communication. Previously, she held leadership roles at the University of Antwerp, including Professor of Communication Studies, Associate Dean of Research, and Dean of Social Sciences.

• Education
  • PhD in Social Sciences, KU Leuven (2000)
  • MA in Mass Communication, University of Leicester (1991)
  • MA in Communication Studies, KU Leuven (1989)

Her research bridges media structures/policies and media culture, focusing on algorithmization, datafication, platformization, and their impact on public service media (PSM). She examines trust in digital media, media policies for digitized ecologies, and the intersection of celebrity culture with activism, philanthropy, and political movements like BLM and populism.

Recent publications highlight her work on PSM adaptation to digital economies, celebrity activism, and algorithmic governance. She has contributed to journals like Media and Communication and Celebrity Studies, often linking media systems to neoliberal dynamics and societal debates.