Where style and data meet

Journalism (and public relations for that matter) is frequently becoming more than getting a good quote and writing tight copy. Retrieving, analyzing, synthesizing and curating data is a growing part of the job. Take it away Peter Verweij:

At a time when large numbers of journalists are being laid off — because print newspapers are closing or decreasing the number of editors — data journalism is becoming a great way to get value out of journalistic work.

Newspapers are also exploring it, and data journalism could potentially attract more readers to print or online editions.

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Looking at the list of topics and presentations of the NICAR (National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting) conference, it seems journalists and coders are now officially engaged. It all starts of course with how to use spreadsheets; doing some statistics, making graphs or mapping the data.

That post includes lots of tips and tools, making it worth a read.

Journalists stymied by PIOs

Let’s all be shocked together at this SPJ release:

A report released today during national Sunshine Week by the Society of Professional Journalists found that reporters who cover federal government agencies say they face impediments to getting information to the public because of interference from public affairs officers.

An online survey of 146 Washington, D.C.-area reporters in February indicated overwhelming frustration from journalists trying to interview federal employees or get basic information for the public.

SPJ president, in that release: “The findings in this report, while not surprising, are a dismaying trend. Government works best when there’s a free flow of information at all levels. The strategy of spokespeople acting as the spigots of that information inevitably backfires by fostering leaks and intrigue instead of the sunshine of full disclosure.”

This problem is not a new phenomenon. Take it away Jon Stewart.

Aron Pilhofer Q&A

Teresa Bouza interviewed Aron Pilhofer, editor of Interactive News at The New York Times, on the popular concept of “data driven journalism.”

Q: In your opinion, how important is this skill for reporters moving forward?

A: I’ve covered ‘money and politics’ and most of the people I’ve competed with and worked with are totally data-illiterate and nobody seemed to have problems with that. Neither their bosses nor they seem to have a problem with that. That gave me a competitive advantage over them. They knew that I had a competitive advantage over them. Yet, still it never seemed to dawn on anybody that this is something that maybe they ought to get in line with.

I don’t honestly know how many reporters do their jobs without having some really simple basic data skills. But still, many reporters seem to be doing their job fine and their bosses seem to think they are doing a great job. So maybe I’m wrong, but to me it’s critical.

Q: How would you describe simple basic data skills? What is that for you?

A: Knowing your way around the spreadsheet, having some basic understanding of statistics. Having the ability to do some simple things like importing some data into a spreadsheet, a desktop database manager like Access, doing some basic queries, sorts.

I teach and have taught for years basic computer-assisted reporting and I do it in this one-day class. Nobody believes me, but it’s totally true: In one day – ONE DAY – we can teach you the skills that if mastered would allow you to do 80 percent of all the computer-assisted reporting that has ever been done. This is importing a spreadsheet, doing some basic math, knowing what a sum is, what a mode, a median, what an average is. I mean, being able to take a dataset, to do some basic count. I mean, this is not rocket science, for the most part. But even most of what I’ve described to you is beyond most reporters in most newsrooms.

Sharp guy, good interview. Check it out.

SGA coverage at Alabama

The University of Alabama’s SGA president as resigned amidst an apparent indiscretion and investigation into some campus elections. Here’s how the campus paper, the Crimson White, is covering the story so far.

Lot of canned, prepared quotes. Not a lot of on-campus reaction yet. Don’t forget, even in stories with mystery and intrigue, there are always many angles you can cover.

First Amendment, investigative reporting, easy infographic and more

I don’t try to add to what Frank LoMonte writes at SPLC, because it is great, thorough and an even handed analysis by a First Amendment expert. I do commend you his piece on the unfunny joke of the disappearing rights of student journalists. One of these cases stems from a university in Alabama:

In Case 1, graduate student Judith Heenan complained on multiple occasions about the unfairness of the grading and disciplinary systems in her nursing program. In response, she alleged, college officials retaliated by issuing her unwarranted disciplinary “strikes” and then ultimately expelling her from the school.

[...]

Judge Myron H. Thompson of the Middle District of Alabama was uninterested in letting Heenan’s case go as far as a trial, and summarily dismissed all of the student’s claims. The judge simply assumed that Heenan was lying, under oath, about her disciplinary strikes being undeserved and retaliatory.

Read the whole article.

The newest brain tickler, via ONA:

”’What Matters Now? Proposals for a New Front Page‘ is a 10-day collaborative effort not only to fill the walls with the Web sites, photos, videos, multimedia pieces, drawings and articles that our guests and visitors recommend, but also to explain why this material is important.

Ten years after the attacks of Sept. 11, we thought we would propose newer ways of knowing, relying on insider perspectives as well as the foreign eyewitnesses who make up much of the conventional press.

Follow the links. You can participate in this panel discussion, thought project from the comfort of your computer.

Tips on investigative reporting, follow the trail says Drew Sullivan:

And, finally, an easy visualization of the series of recent Texas wildfires.

Find the size, draw a radius and drop it over a Google Map. You’ll be amazed at how this changes your reader’s (and your) perspective on the story.