Data for Journalism: Between Transparency and Accountability

Data for Journalism explores the complex relationship between transparency and accountability in a context of tightening data control and balancing transparency against privacy. It examines the benefits of data for journalism and the challenges preventing effective data use, highlighting the role of individual data journalists in facilitating data circulation and overcoming barriers. With an international perspective, the book draws on empirical research and cases from various countries to assess the degree to which journalism can benefit from data and address digital inequalities between newsrooms.

Format: Hardback
Length: 126 pages
Publication date: 21 July 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In the realm of open data and data journalism, Data for Journalism: Between Transparency and Accountability delves into the intricate and multifaceted relationship between these two critical aspects. As data continues to transform societies, the balance between transparency and accountability has become increasingly complex, and data journalism navigates the contradictory demands of opening up data while simultaneously safeguarding privacy. This book explores the potential benefits of data for journalism while also addressing the uncertainties surrounding data and the barriers that hinder its seamless access and proper utilization for data reporting. Recognizing the pivotal role of individual data journalists in leveraging data for journalism and facilitating the circulation of data, the author takes an international perspective, drawing on empirical research and cases from diverse countries such as the UK, the US, Germany, Sweden, Australia, India, China, and Japan. By examining these diverse contexts, the book offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that arise in the realm of data-driven journalism.

Data for Journalism: Between Transparency and Accountability introduces a fresh perspective to the study of developments in journalism and the role of journalism in society. This interdisciplinary book offers a comprehensive account of the complex and evolving relationship between transparency and accountability in a context where the control over data is tightening and the need for transparency is juxtaposed with the importance of privacy protection. As data has brought both promise and disruptive changes to societies, the dynamics between transparency and accountability have become intricate, and data journalism is practiced alongside the contradictory needs of opening up and protecting data.

In addition to examining the benefits of data for journalism, this book addresses the uncertain nature of data and the obstacles that prevent it from being fluently accessed and properly utilized for data reporting. Recognizing the pivotal role of individual data journalists in leveraging data for journalism and facilitating the circulation of data, the author takes an international perspective, drawing on empirical research and cases from diverse countries such as the UK, the US, Germany, Sweden, Australia, India, China, and Japan. By examining these diverse contexts, the book offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that arise in the realm of data-driven journalism.

The degree to which journalism can benefit from data is influenced by various factors, including friction in data access, newsrooms resources and cultures, and data journalists' skill and data literacy levels. These factors can potentially exacerbate digital inequalities between newsrooms in different countries and with different resources. As such, the author adopts an international perspective, drawing on empirical research and cases from around the world to provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics between transparency and accountability in the context of open data and data journalism.

Data for Journalism: Between Transparency and Accountability is of interest to academics and researchers in the fields of journalism and the sociology of (big and open) data. By exploring the intersections of open data, data journalism, and the broader societal context, this book contributes to the ongoing discourse on the role of journalism in a data-driven world. It offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that arise as data becomes increasingly central to journalism practice, and it provides a roadmap for navigating the complex terrain of transparency, accountability, and data-driven journalism.

Weight: 282g
Dimension: 148 x 229 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367466343