Thomas Koch

Prof. Dr. Thomas Koch is Professor of Journalism with a focus on "Strategic Communication" at the Institute of Journalism, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz since October 2015. His academic career includes serving as Acting Professor of Communication Science at the same university (2013-2014), Temporary Academic Councillor at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (2009-2015), and Research Assistant at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (2006-2009).

Prof. Koch's research focuses on strategic communication, particularly Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), greenwashing, Corporate Social Advocacy (CSA), informal communication, and crisis communication. His work explores persuasive communication, examining advertising effectiveness, repetition and credibility effects. He investigates the blurred boundaries between journalism and public relations, with emphasis on brand journalism, and studies media reception and impact.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward examining corporate communication ethics, particularly greenwashing and diversity washing phenomena. He investigates how CSR activities function during organizational crises, the paradoxical effects of communication strategies, and the evolving role of brand journalism in the media landscape. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications in corporate communication.

Prof. Koch has received numerous awards for his scholarly contributions:

• Top paper from the Environmental Communication Division at ICA for greenwashing research
• Top paper from the Communication Theory & Methodology Division of AEJMC
• Award for outstanding service as a reviewer by Communication Research (2017)
• Multiple best paper awards from the Research Group on Reception and Impact Research
• Publizissimus Prize for outstanding teaching commitment (2017)
• Multiple teaching excellence awards at the Institute for Communication and Media Research

Prof. Koch serves as spokesperson for the Reception and Impact Research Section of the German Society for Journalism and Communication Studies (2015-2019) and is a reviewer for numerous prestigious journals. He heads the Master's program in Corporate Communication and is actively involved in academic self-government. His professional affiliations include the International Communication Association (ICA), the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA), and the German Society for Journalism and Communication Studies (DGPuK).