Why data-driven documentation is the future of online journalism
Anyone who thinks journalism is not about numbers is wrong. Figures in the newsroom are more important than ever. We live in an age where more data is collected than ever and that data will be used for setting policy goals and decision-making.
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But we also all sit behind computer screens, and databases are not rocket science anymore, so if you're not using data for investigations, you're missing out.
The news is still in text format but tables with figures are playing an increasingly important role. Even something as simple as a press release from the ECB (European Central Bank) about the decline in the number of financial institutions can provide a mine of interesting data for journalists to exploit. The Guardian has been especially innovative in the field of data journalism, as this interactive map about youth unemployment in the UK shows.
Read the full article on www.memeburn.com.
About the author
Peter Verweij is a contributor on [[www.memeburn.com]].