Datajournalism

Datajournalism is a portmanteau word describing a trend in journalism and information management. It designates the increased amount of numerical data used in the production and distribution of information and the interaction between content producers (journalist) and several other fields such as design, computer science and statistics. From the point of view of journalists, it represents "an overlapping set of competencies drawn from disparate fields".^[1]

Datajournalism has been widely used to unite several concepts and link them to journalism. Some see these as levels or stages leading from the simpler to the more complex uses of new technologies in the journalistic process^[2].

Areas covered by datajournalism

1. Computer assisted reporting and data-driven journalism, where journalists make use of large databases to produce stories.
2. Infographics.
3. Data visualization.
4. Interactive visualization.
5. Serious games, in the sense that they take interaction a step further.
6. Database journalism or structured journalism, an information management system where pieces of information are organized in a database (as opposed to a traditional story-centric organizational structure).

Emergence of datajournalism as a concept

Although computer-assisted reporting has existed since the 1960s, the intensification of the relationships between journalists and computer-based technology led to the development of a broader concept. Although the paternity of the term is disputed, it is widely used since Wikileaks' Afghan War documents leak in July, 2010^[3].

Starting in the second half of 2010, datajournalism has been regularly featured in conferences^[4] and in academic journals ^{[5] [6]} .

Notes

1. ^ Thibodeaux, Troy (6 October 2011) (in en), 5 tips for getting started in data journalism, http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/digital-strategies/147734/5-tips-for-getting-started-in-data-journalism/, retrieved 11 October 2011 
2. ^ Michelle Minkoff (24 March 2010). "Bringing data journalism into curricula". http://michelleminkoff.com/2010/03/24/bringing-data-journalism-into-curricula/. 
3. ^ Kayser-Bril, Nicolas (19 July 2011) (in fr), Les données pour comprendre le monde, http://www.internetactu.net/2011/07/19/les-donnees-pour-comprendre-le-monde/, retrieved 06 October 2011 
4. ^ Alex Howard (21 December 2010). "The growing importance of data journalism". O'Reilly. http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/12/data-journalism.html. 
5. ^ Dreyfus, Suelette; Lederman, Reeva; Bosua, Rachelle; Milto, Simon (2011). "Can we handle the truth? Whistleblowing to the media in the digital era". Global Media Journal 5. http://www.commarts.uws.edu.au/gmjau/v5_2011_1/pdf/dreyfus_truth_Essay.pdf. 
6. ^ Powell, Alison (2011). "Emerging Issues in Internet Regulation: The Unstable Role of Wikileaks and Cyber-Vigilantism". RESEARCH HANDBOOK ON INTERNET GOVERNANCE. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1932740.