Nadia Zaboura is a communication scientist and linguist. She obtained her M.A. summa cum laude from the University of Essen.

She is currently co-publishing a book on the future of German journalism („Media between power and powerlessness. How journalism can regain trust.“, publisher S. Hirzel) and continuously analyzing German media coverage on the Middle East, right-wing extremism and authoritarianism and its implications for social cohesion and democracy in a plural society.

As a freelance consultant of 14 years, Nadia Zaboura has previously worked at innovation and development agencies and since then carries out consultancies for media organizations, companies, associations and foundations in the areas of democracy, digitalization, diversity, education and the media. Awarded with Bert-Donnepp-Preis - German Award for Media Critique and an audience prize for Grimme Online Award, she offers a broad range of scientifically informed media analysis and criticism, including public lectures, panel discussions, and expert interviews in the media.

She has authored numerous media analyses on German media coverage, addressing media producers and media audiences alike, with a focus on digital communication as a means of academic third mission, reaching diverse target groups.

On the topic of the Middle East, Nadia Zaboura serves as an expert advisor for media companies, editorial departments, politics, foundations, event organizers and culture, offering science-backed consultancy and workshops.

In addition to advisory services and public debate, Nadia Zaboura also accompanies media, tech and science congresses as a curator and specialist moderator. She moreover contributes her expertise to future committees and juries in Germany and Europe: as an evaluator for the European Commission, as a long-standing juror and jury chair of German Radio Award and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Grimme Research College - Media and Society in the Digital Age.

Chronology of employment

Since 2011: Zaboura Consulting: policy adviser and communication specialist

2012-2015: Consultant for cluster management CREATIVE.NRW

2010-2012: Co-developer of cluster management MEDIEN.NRW and political-economic strategy consultant for Mediencluster NRW GmbH

2007-2010: Regional developer and explorer of sectoral trends such as digital creative industries and social media as consultant at innovation agency MFG

Chronology of Education

2007: M.A. Communication Science and Linguistics / German Studies, University of Essen, Germany. Summa Cum Laude
Thesis: "Monkey See, Monkey Do. Or: Do mirror neurons hold relevance for the notion of communicative intersubjectivity?

Memberships - selected

• Appointed expert evaluator for the European Commission (Horizon Europe) (since 2015)
• Member of the Board of Trustees of Grimme Research Center (since 2018)
• Appointed appraiser for German Federal Ministry of Science (since 2019)
• Juror of "German Radio Award" (since 2018, 2013-2015 - chairwoman 2019-2022)
• Juror of "German Mobility Award" (2022)
• Member of the program committee of conference re:publica (since 2017)
• Former chairwoman of renowned "Grimme Online Award" (2015; juror 2012-2014)

Books

Monographs

Zaboura, N. (with Nübel, R., Rölle, D.) (2025): Media between Power and Powerlessness. How journalism can regain trust. S. Hirzel.

Zaboura, N. (2009): The empathetic brain. Springer VS.

Editorship

Zaboura, N. (with Reichertz, J.) (2006): Actor brain. Springer VS.

Chapters in books

Zaboura, N. (2023): Diversity in Media. In: Pertsch, S.: Diversity. DUDEN.

Zaboura, N. (2022): Brave new voices or: Do speech assistants speak in their sleep? Preface. In: Erbe, M. etc al: Perspectives of Media Voice Designs. Grimme-Institut, kopaed.

Zaboura, N. (2017): Synergies between health and creative industries. In: Matusiewicz, D., Muhrer-Schwaiger, M.: The Remapping of Health Industries. Springer Gabler.

Services

Seminars and consultations - selected

Cologne Journalism School (2025): Leader of workshop on "Social Diversity in Journalistic Practice“ an media coverage of the Middle East at KJS - Cologne School of Journalism, along with the organization "Media Service Integration"

Pro Quote (2025): Leader of a seminar at a journalism association on the challenges of journalistic reporting on the Middle East and constructive solutions

Cultural festival (2024): Consultation for an international major event in Germany on secure and sensitive curation regarding implications and consequences of the Middle East conflict as well as consulting on communication strategies

Grimme Akademie (2023): Training of journalists at Grimme academy on media journalism and professional media critique

Public talks - selected

University of Television and Film HFF Munich (2025): Expert talk and academic discussion on the characteristics, distinctiveness and singularity of German journalism on the Middle East in comparison to international media, and arising challenges for public discourse and democracy 

Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (2025): Expert talk and academic discussion on German media coverage of the Middle East, erosion of media trust and implications for German plural society

re:publica (2025): Expert talk on the topic "Lost media trust, endangered democracy? Analysis, Ways Out and Future of German Media Reporting on the Middle East"

Thalia Theater (2025): Expert at talk series "Utopia Talks" on journalism and past, present and future developments in the media

Institute for Political Education (2024): Expert talk on the topic "October 7 and its effects"

SWR (2024): Expert talk and panel discussion on the topic of "Migration and Media“ at SWR Future Days

Deutschlandfunk (2022): Keynote on mission, challenges and futures of German Public Service Media

Radio Network Day (2020): Keynote on "Why radio is as important as never before"

Panel discussions - selected

Goethe-University Frankfurt (2025): Concluding discussion of academic lecture series „The Middle East through the Ages“ on the topics of regulated and prevented spaces of debate and discourse in academia, the media and civil society on the Middle East

StudioM WDR (2025): Panel discussion in the 50th episode of the political magazine about "Gaza and the Media: Is journalism failing?"

Network Journalistic Research (2025): Panel discussion on the topic "German media and the Middle East: How to create and ensure trusthworty journalism?“

WDR MONITOR (2025): Panel discussion on „Social Media Rules the World - Do We Need a Public Service Platform?“ at conference re:publica 2025

Cologne Forum for Journalism Critique (2025): Panel discussion on the topic "They’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats“ – Are media defenceless against populists?"

Roman-Brodmann-Kolloquium (2025): Panel discussion on "Stage or media coverage: Blackout or power of the media" on the effects of far-right extremism on journalism

NxM (2024): Panel discussion on "Artificial Intelligence in Journalism - Challenges, practical examples, constructive solutions and futures"

Network Journalistic Research (2024): Panel discussion on the topic of "How to report in a balanced way from Israel and Gaza?"

FSF (2024): Panel discussion on the topic of "AI, Media and Future-Oriented Youth Media Protection"

WDR Europaforum (2024): Panel discussion on the topic of "Under pressure – how does the media assert itself against populism, extremism and nationalism?"

Cologne University (2024): Panel discussion on German media coverage of Israel and Palestine at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities

CIVIS Media Dialogue (2024): Panel discussion on the topic of "Multiplicity of perspectives in German public broadcasting"

Cologne Futures (2023): Panel discussion on Artificial Intelligence in media and journalism

54. Römerberggespräche (2023): Expert discussion "Between panic and reconciliation theater: How to (medially) deal with German far right/extremist party AfD?"

Expert moderations - selected

DKJS (2025): Expert moderation at a conference on the future of digital education

vhw (2025): Expert moderation at a conference on the digitization of local government

BMFSFJ (2023): Expert moderation at an official ceremony by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs on international relations between Germany and Japan

BMBF (2022): Expert moderation for conference "eQualification 2022 - Connection work and learning digitally" by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

BMBF (2021): Expert moderation for the „Foresight Conference“ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research

Medientage Mitteldeutschland (2019): Expert moderation on "Artificial Intelligence in Media: Texts by Robo Journalists"