A Comprehensive Analysis of the Importance of Programming in Modern Data Journalism

Andreas Veglis

doi:10.31921/doxacom.2878

Authors

Andreas Veglis Aristotle University of Thessaloniki https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0286-2304

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.2878

Keywords:

data journalism, programming, coding, Rython, R, Case study methodology

Abstract

The last 20 years have seen significant development in the field of data journalism. Data journalism is a specialization that is based on finding news stories in data. Today there is a trend in data journalism to use programming techniques (usually Python or R). This trend comes mainly from prominent journalism organizations that are engaged in big data journalism projects that are based on data analysis. The main thrust in this study is to examine the importance of programming in data journalism today. A mixed methodology is employed, which includes literacy review and case study analysis. Findings indicate that coding is not necessary in data journalism, but it may be viewed as a necessity when used for complex projects, that include large datasets, and specific types of visualization. The study also discusses hybrid approaches, and specific tools that aim to bridge the gap between tool-based and code-based approaches in practicing data journalism. The results of the study indicate that programming should be viewed as a complementary skill that should be taken into consideration by data journalists.

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Author Biography

Andreas Veglis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Andreas Veglis is a professor of media technology, and head of the Media Informatics Lab at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He is serving and has served as an editor, member of scientific boards, and reviewer in various academic journals. Prof Veglis has more than 200 peer-reviewed papers on media technology and journalism. Specifically, he is the author or co-author of 12 books and 44 book chapters, he has published more than 115 papers in scientific journals, and he has presented 154 papers at international and national Conferences. Prof Veglis has been involved in 50 national and international research projects. His research interests include information technology in journalism, new media, algorithmic journalism, ΑΙ in journalism, digital security, data journalism, big data, and content verification.

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