Technology
How to build data capacity in your newsroom
Introducing DUG, our beta data unit guide Forget the gist of the photo up there—the one reading “data has a better idea.” I don’t buy it. (Lovely photo though, no?) Data rarely has a better idea, because data doesn’t think. People think. Sometimes data can help people think a little better. The problem is that … Continued
Descript, overdub: Q&A with Tamar Charney
Innovation in Focus is a series exploring emerging technology and methods of storytelling for newsrooms worldwide. We interview experts, test tools and provide our findings on a different topic each month. For Innovation in Focus this month I spoke with Tamar Charney, managing director for personalization and curation at NPR, about the ethics of redubbing, … Continued
‘Do people even read captions?’
Why it’s important to test what we THINK we know about mediaYes, people read captions. They’re some of the most scannable, well-read elements in news media. So how can we make them truly worthwhile? It’s time to test. Why is it important to test what we think we already know about how people read the … Continued
Descript video: Tips and tricks
Innovation in Focus is a series exploring emerging technology and methods of storytelling for newsrooms worldwide. We interview experts, test tools and provide our findings on a different topic each month. This month I tested Descript’s new video editing software to create this video about a local maker and his business. Here are five tips … Continued
Journalists are creators now, and that’s a good thing
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Reynolds Journalism Institute or the University of Missouri. Journalism’s hostility is understandable, but our denial is not.In 2009, the former editor-in-chief at Thomson Reuters, David Schlesinger, described journalism as one of the great self-declared professions. He wrote, … Continued
Wise up to Markdown
If you produce journalism for the web, Markdown was made for you Markdown is useful for journalists (and anyone who writes for the web) because it’s a reliable, open-source technology with a non-proprietary format. Copy can be written and edited once and then disseminated through multiple websites, mobile apps, etc. For example, if you were … Continued
How visual metaphor helps move our data off the page
And into people’s brains It’s a new year, and as I’m nearing the end of this fellowship, it seems worth pulling the lens back a bit. We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about nuts and bolts —how to build a bot, when to opt for quick and dirty hacks over fresh code, if and … Continued
Having a natural curiosity about mundane processes
Data journalism and where it’s headed next Alex Richards is an assistant professor S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. I spoke to him about data journalism and what is in its future. Monnay: Can you describe your history and experience with data journalism? I was a graduate student at the University of … Continued
Sony enters drone market seeking professional partners
Usually characterized by a shoulder-to-shoulder push to see the latest in drone technology on a sprawling exhibit floor in Las Vegas, the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show was an entirely different affair, held virtually and lacking the biggest name in drones — DJI. With the conference grounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, the effort this month wasn’t … Continued
Inject, Pinpoint and Vizydrop: Tips and tricks
We tried multiple tools to help find, develop and illustrate a story for KBIA For my last Innovation in Focus piece for the year, I wanted to try a few new tools while I was reporting on the passing of Amendment 3 for KBIA with a group of three other journalists. You can read and … Continued