Journalism Next: Chapter 9: Data-driven Journalism Cindy Royal, Ph.D Assistant Professor Texas State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication tech.cindyroyal.net twitter.com/cindyroyal facebook.com/cindyroyal

Data everywhere Amount of information in our lives is increasing. Need curation and filters to help it make sense Social media is based on programming, data and databases. Information is stored in these places and brought to you based on your logins and preferences First, tools to help organize your life, then data-driven journalism projects and APIs Most tools are free, so barrier to try new things is very low.

Organizational Tools Organize your with filters and folders Find right personal productivity tools - Google Docs, OpenOffice, NeoOffice Cloud Computing - store files online; must have Internet access Backup data, keep copies Develop a personal productivity strategy Organize your contacts

Data-driven Journalism Opportunities abound for using data in news coverage Notable organizations – Texas Tribune and NY Times Based on computer-assisted reporting, but for the Web Depth, customization, searchability, long shelf life

Data and storytelling Every story is a field of data Telling stories with data – FEMA payouts, campaign finance filings Helping reporters do their jobs - sort through information Sharing data - APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) Closed systems and absolute control over content doesn't work in the modern newsroom Other programmers and newsrooms can mashup their data

Getting started Start with spreadsheets, move to databases Map Mashups - stories and in breaking news Interactive Maps - Map Builder and ZeeMaps Location-aware devices Store data online, then convert, organize, update, enhance “Helping people understand where they live and to make decisions” Readers explore data on their own. Lots of opportunities for people who tell stories this way.