Thursday, January 28, 2010
Steve Doig and computer-assisted reporting
As one of the pioneers of computer-assisted reporting, Steve Doig has spent more than a quarter century discovering new ways to practice journalism. Computer technology enables reporters turn numbers into stories, which often underscore larger themes about society, institutions or the government.
In an interview with Scott Maier's Power Journalism class last week, Doig said some of the most helpful advances in computer technology in the last twenty years are satellite images, mapping programs, more content in critical reporting areas, like property tax rolls, and more user friendly software.
Although these tools advance journalists' abilities to expose issues like discrepancies in budget expenditures and projected damages of a storm, Doig reminded the class that obtaining the data is an important part of computer-assisted reporting. One hurdle journalists face in uncovering budget discrepancies, for example, is the willingness of city officials to hand over public records. They don't always comply.
"You have to fight 'em for it," Doig said.
He added that finding the data and using computer tools is an "empowering" process that gives the reporter the chance to create the news rather than simply report it.
Doig understands that statistics can't tell a story on their own. He advised using data when they demonstrate an extreme discovery and simply summarizing when numbers aren't important to the issue.
In an interview with Scott Maier's Power Journalism class last week, Doig said some of the most helpful advances in computer technology in the last twenty years are satellite images, mapping programs, more content in critical reporting areas, like property tax rolls, and more user friendly software.
Although these tools advance journalists' abilities to expose issues like discrepancies in budget expenditures and projected damages of a storm, Doig reminded the class that obtaining the data is an important part of computer-assisted reporting. One hurdle journalists face in uncovering budget discrepancies, for example, is the willingness of city officials to hand over public records. They don't always comply.
"You have to fight 'em for it," Doig said.
He added that finding the data and using computer tools is an "empowering" process that gives the reporter the chance to create the news rather than simply report it.
Doig understands that statistics can't tell a story on their own. He advised using data when they demonstrate an extreme discovery and simply summarizing when numbers aren't important to the issue.
# posted by CourtneyH @ 8:38 PM 0 Comments
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