Thomas Bruns

Dr. Thomas Bruns is a research-active academic at the Institute for Communication and Media Research at the German Sport University Cologne. His work focuses on the intersection of media, sports, and psychology, particularly examining how digital transformation affects sports media consumption and audience behavior.

His research interests include Media Psychology, Sports Media, Media Fragmentation, and Communication Theory. He investigates user typologies in sports media, the integration function of mediated sports, and the psychological effects of media use on children, including sleep patterns and computer game usage.

The recent publications reflect a strong trend in analyzing digital media’s impact on sports consumption, using theoretical frameworks such as fragmentation theory and autopoiesis. His work often combines empirical research with theoretical modeling to understand evolving media landscapes.

Dr. Bruns has collaborated extensively with scholars such as Mark Ludwig, Thomas Schierl, and Christoph Bertling. He has contributed to multiple research projects, including third-party funded and university-supported initiatives like 'MeMo: Sport der medialen Moderne' and 'Forschungsprojekt: Sportmediennutzung in Deutschland'. While no formal advising or grant leadership is mentioned, his involvement in collaborative research indicates active engagement in academic knowledge production.

He is associated with the following research teams and projects:

• MeMo: Sport der medialen Moderne (2012–2015)
• Mediensport der Medialen Moderne (2012–2015)
• Sportjournalisten und Stress
• Forschungsprojekt: Sportmediennutzung in Deutschland