Journalism has always depended on the collection and presentation of data, usually in the form of written text. The public’s desire for increasing amounts of data and ways to manipulate it has forced news sources to develop alternative ways of telling stories. Instead of simply collecting information, determining what is important, and writing stories that fit given boundaries, they are now employing computer programmers to create interactive databases and graphics that supplement the text.
Cindy Royal’s article, The Journalist as a Programmer, gives the example of how several online news sites provide data-filled interactive features for events such as the Olympics and the Oscars. Graphic features can provide much more information than written text and are much more appealing to a user sitting in front of a computer or phone screen. The recent election provided another example of the increased use of graphics to tell a story. Instead of simply writing about the Republicans claiming a majority in the House, several online news sites included an updating graphic displaying the number of seats won by each party. The day after the election, the Houston Chronicle provided a database of election results which allowed users to search between county, state, and national races. This type of storytelling allows the user to obtain information at their own pace while giving them the opportunity to view only what they are interested in. Another way in which an increasing amount of data is being made available to the public is through blogs. People post tons of information daily, often less formally than news sources, and as a result, users can search for information presented in a way which they can easily understand.
The future of journalism will most certainly see an increased use of data-heavy applications that give the user more control over the presentation of information associated with stories. Journalism students must have a desire to learn the technical skills required to build these graphic databases and seek out opportunities to practice these skills. Journalism educators must learn how to use these new technologies so they can provide their students with the tools they need to be successful in the industry today. Current journalists must adapt to the changing landscape and, like the other two groups, must search for information about these new features.
Check out: Royal, Cindy. “The Journalist as Programmer: A Case Study of The New York Times Interactive News Technology Department.”
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