What is data journalism at The Guardian?

The Guardian

8 Apr 201303:37

Summary

TLDRThis transcript discusses the evolution of journalism, highlighting data journalism's significance. It emphasizes the importance of not just presenting data but analyzing it to uncover insights. The power of data in storytelling is underscored, with interactive maps and clear visuals as tools to enhance understanding and enjoyment. Transparency in data processing strengthens credibility, a critical aspect given journalists' low public trust. The Guardian is highlighted as a pioneer in data journalism, with a focus on making data accessible for public discourse, influencing policy, and driving evidence-based conversations. The summary concludes by noting the increasing importance of data in journalism due to the abundance of information and advanced analytical tools.

Takeaways

📰 Traditional journalism focused on using words to create visual images, but modern journalism has evolved to include data journalism.
📊 Data journalism involves using key information sets and data to inform a story, emphasizing the importance of data processing and asking the right questions.
🔍 It's not just about having data, but understanding what it reveals through analysis and interpretation.
🖼️ Modern storytelling in journalism can include various formats like interactive maps and clear visuals, depending on the context.
🤔 Public trust in journalists is low, but transparency in the data and its workings can strengthen the credibility of stories.
📈 Data journalism recognizes the power of measurement in public conversations and discourse, focusing on facts rather than opinions.
📚 The Guardian is highlighted as a pioneer in data journalism, with a history of data blogs and strong data visualization.
🔑 The Guardian's approach to data journalism includes making data open for anyone to use, which is part of their daily operations and big projects.
👥 A variety of roles within an organization contribute to data journalism, from researchers to journalists, designers, and data visualizers.
🌐 The importance of data has grown due to the abundance of data and the tools available for analysis, pattern recognition, and trend identification.
📝 Data journalism is essentially seen as the modern form of journalism, where data analysis and storytelling techniques are integral to revealing the truth behind stories.

Q & A

What is the traditional role of words in journalism according to the transcript?
-The traditional role of words in journalism is to conjure up visual images using the letters of the alphabet.
What is the current definition of journalism as described in the transcript?
-Current journalism is about telling stories using the power of data, focusing on data journalism which involves the use of key information sets and data to inform a story.
What is the importance of processing data in data journalism?
-Processing data is crucial in data journalism as it helps in understanding what the data reveals and asking the right questions to get the right answers.
Why is transparency in data journalism important for trust?
-Transparency in data journalism is important for trust because by providing the workings behind the story, journalists can be open and show their process, making the stories stronger.
How can data journalism be presented beyond just text?
-Data journalism can be presented through various mediums such as interactive maps, clear pictures, and other visual storytelling techniques that help the audience understand and enjoy the story.
What impact can data journalism have on public discourse?
-Data journalism can drive policy and evidence-based discussions in both political and public discourse, as it is grounded in the power of measurement and focuses on facts rather than opinions.
What techniques are journalists using today to find and reveal stories in data?
-Journalists are using programmatic techniques such as data scraping, mining, and statistical analysis to find stories, and storytelling techniques on data to reveal patterns and trends.
Why is the year 1948 and the British government's spending significant in the transcript?
-The year 1948 and the British government's spending are used as an example to illustrate how data journalism can provide insights into historical financial decisions that are relevant and interesting to readers.
How does The Guardian approach data journalism?
-The Guardian is described as a pioneer in data journalism, having the first data blog and a strong history in data visualization. They make data open for anyone to use and integrate data journalism into their daily news lists and investigations.
What roles within an organization contribute to data journalism at The Guardian?
-Roles contributing to data journalism at The Guardian include researchers, journalists, interactive designers, and data visualization specialists who work together to provide a destination for those interested in data and uncovering the truth behind stories.
Why has data become increasingly important in journalism?
-Data has become increasingly important in journalism due to the vast amounts available and the tools and abilities to analyze it, find patterns, structure it, and reveal trends.
What is the speaker's final definition of data journalism?
-The speaker defines data journalism as essentially the modern way of doing journalism, which involves the use of data and its analysis to inform and strengthen stories.

Outlines

00:00

📊 The Evolution of Journalism: From Words to Data

The paragraph discusses the transformation of journalism from a profession focused solely on the power of words to one that embraces data journalism. It emphasizes the importance of using key data sets and reference elements to inform stories, not just the existence or presentation of data, but the analysis and interpretation of it. The speaker highlights the need for journalists to ask the right questions to extract meaningful insights from data, which can be presented in various formats, including interactive maps and clear visuals. The paragraph also touches on the public's distrust of journalists and how data journalism can counter this by being transparent about the data processing and analysis. The speaker mentions the role of data in driving policy and public discourse, citing the example of the British government's spending on benefits as a topic of interest. The paragraph concludes by acknowledging the Guardian's pioneering role in data journalism and the integration of data analysis into daily news reporting.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Journalism

Journalism refers to the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. In the context of the video, it highlights the evolution of journalism from traditional text-based reporting to a more data-driven approach that includes visual and interactive elements to convey stories more effectively.

💡Data Journalism

Data Journalism is a form of journalism that leverages data to inform and enhance the narrative of a story. It involves the collection, processing, and analysis of data to reveal insights, trends, and patterns. The video emphasizes the importance of data journalism in providing a modern, evidence-based approach to storytelling that strengthens public discourse.

💡Data Processing

Data Processing in the script refers to the act of manipulating and analyzing raw data to extract meaningful information. It is a critical component of data journalism, as it transforms data into a format that can be understood and interpreted by the audience, as illustrated by the speaker's mention of 'the processing that goes into it to work out what it tells you.'

💡Transparency

Transparency, as discussed in the video, is about being open and clear about the methods and data used in journalism. By showing the workings behind a story, journalists can build trust with their audience, which is particularly important given the low levels of trust in the profession. The script mentions that providing the workings makes stories stronger.

💡Visualization

Visualization in the context of the video pertains to the graphical representation of data to make it more accessible and understandable. It is a key technique in data journalism, allowing for the presentation of complex information in a simple and engaging manner, such as through interactive maps or clear pictures.

💡Statistical Analysis

Statistical Analysis is the method of examining and interpreting data to draw conclusions. In the video, it is mentioned as a technique used by journalists to find stories and reveal patterns in data. This approach is essential for data journalism, as it provides a scientific basis for the narratives constructed around the data.

💡Public Discourse

Public Discourse refers to the collective discussion and debate on various topics within society. The video script highlights the role of data journalism in enhancing public discourse by providing factual, data-driven insights that can inform opinions and decisions, rather than relying solely on opinions.

💡Evidence-based

Evidence-based in the script denotes an approach that relies on empirical data and facts to support arguments or conclusions. It is central to data journalism, as it shifts the focus from subjective opinion to objective evidence, thereby increasing the credibility and impact of the stories being told.

💡The Guardian

The Guardian is a British newspaper known for its pioneering role in data journalism. The video script mentions it as an example of a media outlet that has integrated data journalism into its daily operations and has a history of innovative data visualization. It serves as a case study for how data journalism can be effectively implemented.

💡Wikileaks

Wikileaks is a reference to a large-scale data leak event mentioned in the script, which The Guardian handled as part of its data journalism practice. It exemplifies a big project where data journalism techniques were applied to make sense of and report on a vast amount of leaked information.

💡Data Blog

A Data Blog, as mentioned in the script, is a platform dedicated to publishing and discussing data-driven stories and insights. The Guardian is credited with being the first to have a data blog, which signifies its commitment to data journalism and its role in shaping the field.

💡Truth

Truth is a central theme in the video, emphasizing the pursuit of factual accuracy in journalism. Data journalism aims to reveal the truth behind stories by analyzing data and presenting findings in a transparent manner, as opposed to relying on speculation or unverified claims.

Highlights

Reporting in journalism has evolved from using words to create visual images to utilizing data for storytelling.

Data journalism involves using key information sets and data to inform a story, emphasizing the importance of data processing and asking the right questions.

The modern approach to journalism is not confined to text or pictures but includes interactive maps and clear visuals to enhance understanding and engagement.

In an era of distrust in journalists, transparency in the workings behind a story can strengthen its impact.

Data journalism recognizes the power of measurement in public conversations and discourse, focusing on facts rather than opinions.

Journalists are increasingly incorporating statistical techniques and programmatic methods to uncover and tell stories.

The Guardian is highlighted as a pioneer in data journalism, being the first to have a data blog and a strong history in data visualization.

Data journalism at the Guardian involves handling big projects like Wikileaks or reading the riots and making data accessible for public use.

The Guardian has integrated data journalism into its daily news operations, with a team of professionals working with data across various departments.

Data journalism aims to provide a destination for those interested in data and seeking the truth behind stories.

The importance of data has grown due to the vast amounts available and the tools to analyze, structure, and reveal trends.

Data journalism is essentially journalism that leverages data to enhance storytelling and provide a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

The speaker emphasizes that data journalism is not a separate entity but an integral part of modern journalism.

The speaker discusses the role of data in driving policy and evidence-based discussions both politically and in the public sphere.

The speaker provides an example of the British government's spending on benefits in 1948 to illustrate the relevance of data in journalism.

The speaker suggests that data journalism can help restore trust in journalism by being open and transparent about the data and its analysis.

The speaker concludes by reiterating that data journalism is a modern approach to journalism that enhances the storytelling process with data.