1950 – 1951: High-School-Scholarship for Dayton, Ohio, USA.
Since 1950: Free-lancing journalist.
1953: Taking the Abitur, Nürnberg, Germany.
1953 - 1955: Trained as an industrial manager, Erlangen, Germany
1956 – 1960: Studying Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Philosophy and Communications at the University of Erlangen, Free University of Berlin, School for Economics and Social Sciences Nürnberg; majoring in Economics.
1960: Diploma in Economics (Diplom-Volkswirt), School for Economics and Social Sciences Nürnberg. Diploma Thesis: „Der Stürmerand its editor“.
1960 – 1963: Associate, Institut für Publizistik, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
1963 – 1964: Assistant to the Dean, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
1964 – 1968: Assistant Professor at the Chair for Political Science and Communications, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
1968: Doctorate in Social Sciences (Dr. rer. pol.), University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (Dissertation Thesis „The newspaper newsroom as an organized social system“)
1968 – 1969: Assistant Research Professor, Social Sciences Research Center, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
1969 – 1970; Scholar-in-Residence, The Annenberg School of Communications, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
1970 – 1973: Associate Research Professor, Social Sciences Research Center, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. Research Group „Professionalizing Communicators“, Special Research Unit 22 of the German Research Association (DFG): "Socialization and Communication Research”
1973 - 1974: Visiting Professor, Institut für Publizistik, University of Mainz, Germany
1974 – 1976: Senior Research Director, Social Sciences Research Center, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg.
1976 – 1983: Professor for Communications (with a thematic priority on Journalism and Public Relations), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
1978: Habilitation for Communications (Dr. rer. pol. habil.) by the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (Habilitation Thesis „Journalism and society. Review and theoretical design“)
1983 – 1999: Chair and Professor for Communications, University of Bamberg, Germany
1980 (Summer) and 1993 (Winter): Guest Professor, University of Zürich, Switzerland
Since 1999 Professor Emeritus for Communications, University of Bamberg; author, consultant, and expert for German Research Foundation (DFG), German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation (AvH) and other organisations promoting teaching and research.