computer-assisted reporting seminar for statscan

Computer-Assisted Reporting (CAR)

Computer-Assisted Reporting (CAR)

Computer-Assisted Reporting or “CAR” Computer-Assisted Reporting or “CAR”

Better title: Data-Assisted Reporting.Or… reporting using data instead of, or along with, documents. Or… social science on a deadline.

Better title: Data-Assisted Reporting.Or… reporting using data instead of, or along with, documents. Or… social science on a deadline.

Useful data for journalistsUseful data for journalists

• Databases• Spreadsheets• Maps

• Databases• Spreadsheets• Maps

Without CAR…Without CAR…

Journalists come to governments and ask for statistics:- Population of my city?- CPI in February?- Housing starts in June?- Percentage of Francophones living in Manitoba?

Journalists come to governments and ask for statistics:- Population of my city?- CPI in February?- Housing starts in June?- Percentage of Francophones living in Manitoba?

With CAR…With CAR…

Journalists come to governments and ask for record-level data:- All homicides including FSA.- All reports of spills in the transport of dangerous goods.- Long/lat coordinates of all cell phone towers.

Journalists come to governments and ask for record-level data:- All homicides including FSA.- All reports of spills in the transport of dangerous goods.- Long/lat coordinates of all cell phone towers.

Why reporters use CAR?Why reporters use CAR?

• No more “according to…” State as fact, don’t attribute.• Uncovers stories even the subjects don’t know.• Confirms the obvious; reveals the unexpected.

• No more “according to…” State as fact, don’t attribute.• Uncovers stories even the subjects don’t know.• Confirms the obvious; reveals the unexpected.

Where we get dataWhere we get data

• Ask for it.• Download from the Web.• Scrape from the Web.• FOI or ATIP.

• Ask for it.• Download from the Web.• Scrape from the Web.• FOI or ATIP.

Commons CAR toolsCommons CAR tools

• DATABASES:MS Access, MySQL• SPREADSHEETS:MS Excel, OpenOffice• MAPPING:ArcView, MapInfo

• DATABASES:MS Access, MySQL• SPREADSHEETS:MS Excel, OpenOffice• MAPPING:ArcView, MapInfo

FOI/ATIP hurdlesFOI/ATIP hurdles

• Privacy.• Price.• General silliness.

• Privacy.• Price.• General silliness.

Worst for providing dataWorst for providing data

• Health Canada.• Industry Canada.• Foreign Affairs.

• Health Canada.• Industry Canada.• Foreign Affairs.

Best at providing dataBest at providing data

• Statistics Canada.• RCMP.• er…• …that’s it..

.

• Statistics Canada.• RCMP.• er…• …that’s it..

.

Send me your ideasSend me your ideas

• (613) 235-6685•

gmcgregor@thecitizen.canwest.com

• http://www.sushiboy.org/car.pdf

-30-

• (613) 235-6685•

gmcgregor@thecitizen.canwest.com

• http://www.sushiboy.org/car.pdf

-30-