Press Mention

Transforming Global Journalism with Open Data

Knight International Journalism Fellowship projects are transforming global journalism through the use of data.

Knight Fellows Gustavo Faleiros, Jorge Luis Sierra, Justin Arenstein, Miguel Paz and Mariano Blejman specialize in finding ways to convert raw data into information that's usable by and useful to journalists and citi

Journalists, Technologists Gather to Launch Hacks/Hackers Chapter in Rosario, Argentina

Journalists mingled with technologists, programmers and designers to establish Latin America's newest chapter of Hacks/Hackers, which promotes collaboration on news media projects. More than 60 people attended the inaugural meeting of Hacks/Hackers Rosario, the second group to be formed in Argentina. Among the speakers were ICFJ Knight International Journalism Fellow Mariano Blejman, who talked about projects launched at Hacks/Hackers Buenos Aires, the country's first chapter.

Engaging Citizens in Governance With Open Data

Citizens, writes development expert Jay Naidoo in The Guardian, always know better than the government or the market what works for them. “So why don't state officials and policymakers take us, the citizens, into their confidence?” he asks. “Can we begin to see citizens as the greatest ally for good governance? And if so, how do we pursue a partnership between government and citizens?”

“Part of the answer lies in open data,” Naidoo writes.

Open Data’s Role in the Peaceful Transition of Power in Kenya

“Kenya’s new president, Uhuru Kenyatta, has been inaugurated in a peaceful transition of power after fears that a close election result and contested court case might lead to violence,” writes Alex Plough of Thomson Reuters AlertNet.

“One group in particular will feel they played a part; a small team of software developers and activists called Code4Kenya. Their web application, GotToVote!, helped Kenyans to register at polling booths, send peace messages and report electoral fraud.

Poderopedia Makes Political Connections More Transparent

In Chile, a website called Poderopedia has recently been launched by Knight International Journalism Fellow Miguel Paz. A crowdsourced map of business and political power, Poderopedia aims to make connections between people more transparent. Paz explains how some of the powerful people profiled are also some of the site's best contributors, during this interview for the U.S.

'Part App, Part Map' Tracks Amazon Forest Loss

"As the endangered Amazon forest faces tougher challenges – deforestation, forest fires, and mining and oil drilling, among them – there must be a way to track the destruction," writes Chelsea Diana of Reuters Alertnet.

How Making Maps is Evolving Online

Just 10 years ago, creating an interactive online map was complicated, if not impossible, for most Web users. Now, journalists can design attractive maps in the cloud and publish them in minutes.

And in recent years, the news industry has seen exciting opportunities for Web-based maps beyond Google. The two-year-old company MapBox is an important driver of this development.

A product of the Washington-based company Development Seed, MapBox gives newsrooms and bloggers the ability to control how maps look and what data appears on these maps.

What Journalists Can Learn From the Citizen Science Movement

Knight International Journalism Fellow Gustavo Faleiros is tapping ordinary, environmentally concerned citizens in the Amazon region to help contribute data and information to InfoAmazonia, his digital mapping project that tracks deforestation. Faleiros says "citizen science" movements like this one can be a powerful force for connecting communities, for telling stories about the environment and health, and for helping explain the problems and issues to policymakers.

Health Reporting Helps Reduce Stigma and Discrimination in Zambia

Media coverage of health issues can break down barriers to better information about health, resulting in improved services and care. During her Knight International Journalism Fellowship, Zarina Geloo trained journalists to produce higher-quality stories and launched a health segment in the Times of Zambia.

The Role of Transparency and Corruption in Sustainable Development

In November, Gustavo Falerios moderated a panel about sustainable development and transparency at the International Anti-Corruption Conference. As a Knight International Journalism Fellow, he helps journalists use data to improve environmental reporting in Brazil. Read Faleiros' take on the role transparency and corruption play in environmental sustainability here.