Considering the interactions between developments in open data and data journalism, Data for Journalism: Between Transparency and Accountability offers an interdisciplinary account of this complex and uncertain relationship in a context of tightening the control over data and weighing transparency against privacy.
As data has brought both promise and disruptive changes to societies, the relationship between transparency and accountability has become complicated, and data journalism is practised alongside the contradictory needs of opening up and protecting data. In addition to exploring the benefits of data for journalism, this book addresses the uncertain nature of data and the obstacles preventing data from being fluently accessed and properly used for data reporting. Because of these obstacles, it argues individual data journalists play a decisive role in using data for journalism and facilitating the circulation of data. Frictions in data access, newsrooms’ resources and cultures and data journalists’ skill and data literacy levels determine the degree to which journalism can benefit from data, and these factors potentially exacerbate digital inequalities between newsrooms in different countries and with different resources. As such, the author takes an international perspective, drawing on empirical research and cases from around the world, including countries such as the UK, the US, Germany, Sweden, Australia, India, China and Japan.
Introducing a new dimension to the study of developments in journalism and the role of journalism in society, Data for Journalism will be of interest to academics and researchers in the fields of journalism and the sociology of (big and open) data.
Author(s): Jingrong Tong
Series: Disruptions: Studies in Digital Journalism
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 140
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
List of figures
List of tables
List of abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1 Data as a source of information
Understanding data
The abundance of data and its benefits
The uncertainty and messiness of data
Concerns and challenges
Comparing data with traditional sources of information
2 Access to data
Accessing open data in the public sector
Collaborating with data holders in the private sector
FOI practices and the undisclosed secrets
Alternative ways of getting data
Struggles and pushing for data of quality and openness
3 Using data in journalism
From data teams to lone wolves: the uneven development of data journalism in the world
What is data used for in journalism?
Handling the problems of data and potential issues in data reporting
Explaining the variations
4 Opening up data from news reporting
Data journalism as alternative data producers and holders
Sharing is caring
Why choosing not to publish data
Data as financial resources
Conclusion: The four roles of data journalists in the circulation of data
References
Index
