Julia Behre

Julia Behre is a Researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans Bredow Institute (HBI), where she has been since 2022. Her work focuses on media use in digital environments and journalism-audience relationships. She contributes to Research Program 1, exploring transformative public communication dynamics, and leads the DFG-funded 'Public Connection' project analyzing how individuals engage with public spheres through digital repertoires. Since 2019, she has co-authored Germany’s contributions to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, examining cross-national news consumption trends.

Behre holds a Master’s degree from the University of Hamburg, specializing in media studies, psychology, and journalism. Her thesis investigated trust in news sources and influencing factors. She collaborates on studies like the 2025 Reuters Report (48-country analysis) and projects exploring age-related media trust gaps. Her work bridges empirical research with policy-relevant insights about digital media’s societal role.

Key projects include analyzing German news interest decline (2023 Report), pandemic-era media shifts (2021 Report), and gendered news consumption (2020 Women and News study). She also examines algorithmic content delivery’s impact on audience trust and cross-cultural media literacy challenges.

• Education: MA in Media and Communication Studies, University of Hamburg
• Funded Projects: DFG ‘Public Connection’ (2022–present), Reuters Institute Annual Reports (2019–present)
• Key Themes: Digital Journalism, Cross-Cultural Media Analysis, Trust in Media