News

The latest news from the International Center for Journalists.

December
2
2015

How News Organizations Can Use Social Media to Expand Their Reach

To make sure that stories get the visibility they deserve, they have to reach readers who spend much of their time on social media these days.

December
2
2015

Five Data Journalists Uncover Corruption in Mexican Congress' Expense Reports

The truth hurts, especially when the truth is contained in receipts from bars, hotels, spas and luxury vehicle dealers.

A group of five young Mexican journalists has spent the past year or so sifting through thousands of expense reports of Mexico's senators and deputies (congress) to see how they are using taxpayers' money.

Among their scoops:

  • Members of the Senate bought 10 Harley-Davidson motorcycles at a cost of 2.12 million Mexican pesos, or about US$130,000, in order to serve the
December
1
2015

Code for Africa's Data Bootcamps Teach Journalists Digital Literacy Skills

Open data is useless if nobody knows what to do with it, which is why Code for Africa's data bootcamps are so important.

Developed in 2012 by ICFJ Knight Fellow Justin Arenstein and the World Bank Institute, these data bootcamps have been held all over the world — including 10 African countries, Pak

November
25
2015

Communicate Complex Ideas to the Public Using These Tips

I recently sat in on a conversation with communication officers from research institutions and one of them expressed fears that the information they were continually providing the public gave people "head pain."

No, not a headache, because that is curable, but "head pain." The point she was making and which I have tried to put across over the years to numerous communication officers from academia, research institutions, United Nations organizations and the private sector is that they must be able to simplify (and this does not mean dumb down) their message.

The communicators bemoaned the

November
23
2015

NarcoData Project Reveals Four Decades of Organized Crime in Mexico

For the first time, the world has a clear picture of organized crime and drug trafficking in Mexico, thanks to a new journalism project called NarcoData.

Using government data obtained through Freedom of Information requests, NarcoData provides citizens with an interactive platform that maps the history of Mexico's powerful cartels across four decades.

November
23
2015

ICFJ Knight Roundup: Hacks/Hackers Africa on the Front Line of Global Refugee Crisis

Each week as part of the Knight International Media Innovators blog, the ICFJ Knight team will round up stories focused on how their fellows are making an impact in the field. Hacks/Hackers looks to help the refugee crisis, a "Twitter for Journalists" webinar and more from the Knight Fellows in this week's roundup.

November
23
2015

Q&A with Nic Dawes: Helping India’s Hindustan Times Adapt to the Digital Age

From web analytics software to social media monitoring tools, digital tools are transforming newsrooms globally.

Embracing a digital-first workflow "gives you more time to reflect and work you through the evolution of a story on multiple platforms," says Nic Dawes, chief editorial and content officer at the Hindustan Times in India.

November
20
2015

How Journalists Can Use Facebook’s Signal and Other Social 'Radars' for News Sourcing

Back in the day, the savviest journalists used police radio scanners to track beats like city and crime. In 2015, we have upgraded to paid, free, even custom-built "radars" that use search, social or open data to generate insights into a) audience interest and response around news events by category, location, device, etc, b) social traction around topics covered by competitors and c) relevant sources or user-generated content around an event or theme.

Most of these are beginning to inform editorial planning throughout the day, alongside leading wires and publishers' own analytics.

November
20
2015

How Pakistani Journalists Can Overcome the Challenges of Data Journalism

Data journalism seems to be a scary concept for journalists in Pakistan. They tend to believe it involves learning how to write code, designing graphics using complex software and crunching numbers using hefty, mathematical formulas. There also is a general belief that there is little or no data available.

In fact, journalists do use data in stories about crime, health, business and education, among other areas.

November
20
2015

Why the Best Data Tools Engage Journalists While Educating Them

"If you build it, they will come" is the classic line uttered by the character played by Kevin Costner in the 1989 hit movie "Field of Dreams." It tells the story of an Iowa farmer who keeps hearing voices telling him to plough up his corn fields and build a baseball stadium in the middle of nowhere.

He believes that if he does so, the Chicago White Sox team will come to his arena to play. So he does, and they do.

But sadly the Hollywood fantasy-drama with a perfect outcome is worlds apart from the real-life world of tech where things don't neatly follow a script to end on a happy note.