[ddj] Defining datajournalism

Thu Oct 6 08:30:44 UTC 2011

Dear ddj enthusiasts,

I'm always embarrassed at how little definition there is of what constitutes
datajournalism. That's why I'm trying to define it and, in doing so,
reworking the related Wikipedia entries.

I want to create a 'datajournalism' article along those lines:

*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 (*journalists*) and several other
fields such as *design*, *computer science* and *statistics*.

Datajournalism has been widely used to unite several concepts and link them
to journalism. Among these are:

   - *Computer assisted reporting* and *data-driven journalism*, where
   journalists make use of large databases to produce stories,
   - *Infographics*,
   - *Data visualization*,
   - *Interactive visualization*,
   - *Serious games*, in the sense that they take interaction a step
   further, and
   - *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).

I also plan to rework several entries, notably:

   - Recreate the 'Computer-assisted reporting' page, which I merge with
   'database journalism' several years ago. It seems to me that the 2 don't
   mean the same thing today.
   - Clean up the data-driven journalism page to focus on Mirko Lorenz's and
   Paul Bradshaw's definitions with a historical bit on CAR, too.
   - Update the 'database journalism' page so that it reflects more
   Holovaty's vision and Reg Shua's idea of 'structured journalism'.

Any feedback welcome, and I'd be very glad if the Wikipedians among us could
help me in this project!

nkb.
--
Datajournalist since 2007
nkb.fr <http://nkb.fr?m>
+336 50 57 53 80
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