About me
Hi, I'm Marius Dragomir, I'm the director of the Media and Journalism Research Center, a global think tank focused on the study of media, journalism, politics and technology. Here I conduct several projects that I began during my time as director of the Center for Media, Data and Society (CMDS), a research center in Budapest.
I am also a professor at Central European University (CEU) in Vienna where I teach journalism and research design courses as well as practical classes on advocacy and policy engagement.
Before, I managed the global research and policy portfolio of the Program on Independent Journalism (PIJ), formerly the Network Media Program (NMP), of the Open Society Foundations (OSF) in London.
Studies and reports
In the past 25 years, I have published reports and studies for organizations including UNESCO, Council of Europe, Open Society Foundations (OSF), Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF), World Bank, Jefferson Institute and the Atlantic Council of the United States (ACUS).
Academic writings
Here you find a selection of the most important academic writings, be they papers and articles published in academic journals or book chapters that I have published so far.
Journalistic work
I began my journalistic career in 1991 in a local newspaper in my native Romania. For almost a decade, I worked for various media outlets in Romania, including local daily newspapers, weeklies, television stations and radio channels.
Since 2000, I have published op-eds, news analysis and investigative journalism pieces in international, English-language media outlets and nationwide media outlets in 125 countries.
Here is a selection of the most recent ones.
Academic workshops and symposia
Part of my interaction with academics or practitioners is the participation in workshops and symposia focused on topics that I cover in my research, including trends in media ownership, editorial independence, journalism funding models, media and internet regulation and disinformation mapping. Here you can find a selection of some of the most inspiring events I spoke at since 2000.
Founder of Media Power Monitor
Blunt journalism
A global news analysis website founded in 2015 by a group of writers concerned about the state of independent journalism and the thorny relations between media and the powers that be.
Working with students and young researchers
I spend much time these days engaging with students interested in doing journalism and media research. Here are just a few, but I am open to more ideas from young people who want to try their skills in these fields or who want to devote their career to these issues. They are always welcome to drop me a line.
Media Influence Matrix Young Research Team
Since 2017, I have involved students from Central European University (CEU) in doing research as part of the global comparative project Media Influence Matrix. Some of them published their own reports or engaged in such work after graduation.
Investigative Journalism Projects
For several years, I have been teaching a practical class on journalism where students design and carry out their own investigation under my guidance. The work produced in the class is featured in major publications. This one was published by Politico in 2021, for example.
Supervising PhD and MA theses
It is intellectually fascinating to supervise MA or PhD theses of some brilliant students. So far, I have supervised theses on topics such as media and populism, the impact of online disinformation on democratic processes and regulation of tech platforms among many others.
