Steve
Ross uses data from the Federal Election Commission to demonstrate
in this August 2001 PC Magazine story how various analysis/data
mining programs can provide insight into previously unrecognized
phenomena. The questions Ross asks are exactly the kind of questions
a good analytic journalist would ask. Yes, some of these programs
are darned pricey, but if the spirit is willing and the determination
great, there are valuable tips here for journalists. For original
story, click here:
Editor & Publisher cover story (May 29,
2000) on GIS in the publishing enterprise, specifically The Arizona Republic.
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AV archives
of the history and methods of analytic journalism and related topics
The
1952 presidential election in the U.S. is a milestone in the history
of analytic journalism. CBS, working with Remington Rand Corp.
and an exit polling company, was in a position to predict Eisenhower's
sweeping victory in the electoral college thanks to a new device
called UNIVAC. But the network's journalists doubted the accuracy
of the computer's prediction. Click here
to see a portion of that coverage. (QuickTime .mov file)
The
UNIVAC computer was demonstrated on June 14, 1951 by Remington
Rand and its first customer was the U.S. Census Bureau. It was
the first commercial busines computer. http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/ram/0614.ram
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Perhaps the earliest example of a government using a binary
mechanical system to store and analyze data was the U.S. census
of 1890. Here, however, is a newsreel
clip showing how the Czechs were using computers for their
census by the 1930s.
The
essence of analytic journalism is finding the tools and methods
of other disciplines and using them to better understand a phenomena
and tell the story. This segment from the CBS show "Sunday Morning"
illustrates well this transfer of method, technology and, eventually,
knowledge. Click here
to see the QuickTime .mov file.
