INFORMATION SCIENCE

IN JOURNALISMGenna Gross

WHAT IS JOURNALISM?

The main aspect of journalism is knowing how to

construct information.

Journalists use components such as organizing, gathering,

and synthesizing, to present information through stories,

interviews, and more.

The job of a journalist is to add value to raw information

so that the reader will be capable of understanding it.

They do this by making the information more accessible,

memorable, putting it into context, and overall increasing

the quality of it.

ASPECTS OF JOURNALISM

Journalism is the process of reporting events, information, and

stories through a various amount of mediums that can include:

newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, blogs, and

social media.

Journalists must provide accurate information, which is what

makes data so important in journalism.

Obtaining reliable information is more important than speed

when it comes to releasing a piece.

There is a lot of research that comes with the job of being a

journalist- this research can be retrieved in ways including:

background digging, interviews, and even observation.

TRANSFORMATION OF JOURNALISM

No longer do people solely rely on newspaper for their

information, or wait days to receive it.

As events are occurring, they are being updated from

multiple sources through a large network of social

connections.

“The language of this network is data: little points of

information that are often not relevant in a single instance,

but massively important when viewed from the right angle”

SOCIAL MEDIA

In our modern society people want their

information instantaneously.

With this aspect being crucial, it is influencing

journalism as we know it.

The internet and medium of social media are now

beneficial tools that journalists for: reporting stories,

newsgathering, as well as feedback.

SOCIAL MEDIA

This demand for instant news has challenged the

objective of journalists.

This use of social media has often forced journalists to

compete with the average citizen when it comes to

releasing information to the public.

Journalists need to verify the information before they

release it, which is something a common “tweeter” does

not have to do.

Is social media and new

technology taking over

journalism and the news

industry?

Even though it is convenient to have news

immediately, there are many downfalls to social

media being a news medium.

About 50% of news consumers report receiving

“breaking news” from a social media site only to

learn the information was false.

Another downfall is that amateur reporters could

potentially put themselves in harm’s way just to get

the scoop.

DATA

Using data the right way can change the focus of a

journalist.

Providing deeper meaning of the information is

significantly more important than being the first one

to report it.

The real opportunity is to transform the

information.

Journalists can make a compelling story when

transforming data into something the readers can

understand.

DATA JOURNALISMData journalists often use digital

information to develop intriguing stories.

There are many career opportunities for

data journalists.

The media and newsrooms are popular

places for careers in journalism; however,

there are many more positions.

“Companies and institutions around the

world are looking for “sensemakers” and

professionals, who know how to dig

through data and transform it into

something tangible”

Information rules the world- and to be

able to write about it effectively, and

transform it into something that makes

sense, is an appealing skill.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography

Diakopoulos, N. (2012, January 2). Journalism as Information Science. Retrieved May

5, 2014, from Musings on Media:

http://www.nickdiakopoulos.com/2012/01/02/journalism-as-information-science/

Lorenz, M. (n.d.). Why Journalists Should Use Data. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from Data

Journalism Handbook: http://datajournalismhandbook.org/1.0/en/introduction_1.html

Mashable. (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2014, from How Social Media is Taking Over the

News Industry: http://mashable.com/2012/04/18/social-media-and-the-news/

Social Media's Impact on Journalism . (n.d.). Retrieved 05 14, 2014, from Social Media

Frontiers: http://www.socialmediafrontiers.com/2013/09/social-medias-impact-on-

journalism.html#.U3I_RuddXmU