hacks, hackers and data journalism

2011-05-12Ottawa

computer-assisted reporting but it’s reallydata-assisted reporting.

or… reporting using data instead of, or along with, conventional sources.

data journalism

data journalism↕ ↕

useful data (old school)

• databases• spreadsheets• email• maps

useful data (now)

• tweets• geo-tagged images• foursquare updates• facebook status updates

anything online

why use data?• no more “according to…” state as fact, don’t attribute.• uncovers stories even the subjects don’t know.• confirms the obvious; reveals the unexpected.

other ideas

• overpass inspection records• mayoralty campaign donors• ambulance response times• health/safety reports in city-run apartments• complaints against taxi drivers.

other ideas

• single men/women by census tract• day most marriage licenses• pets by postal code

data sources

• inspection reports• complaints• incidents reports• discipline records• registrations and licenses

check reporting requirements.

data journalism inverted pyramid

of aggravation

obtaining data (hard)formatting dataanalyzing data

reportingwriting (easy)

where to get data

• ask for it• download it• scrape it *• build from documents• FOI or ATIP

finding the story

• think vertically • look at columns• cross-tab columns• chart over time• look for patterns• dig down from data

hacks are good at

• discerning news from info• interviewing subjects• providing context• writing• offering a big platform

hackers are good at

• obtaining data• processing it• analyzing it• building better platforms to present it

resources

• nicar.org• caj.ca• ire.org• thescoop.org• flowingdata.com• guardian data-j blog