How data has transformed journalism.
Inside and out.
Sisi Wei
�Director of Programs
OpenNews
Slides: bit.ly/sisi-csvconf5
👋 Hi there!
I’m Sisi.
It’s my first csv,conf!
❤
Thank you organizers +
all of you
for your time right now.
Journalism
+
Being a Good Manager
+
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
+
Hiring
OpenNews
exists in support of a movement in journalism — one that is fighting for a future where journalists can work in newsrooms that are equitable, inclusive, and collaborative, and where the communities we've long ignored can trust in journalism to give them justice and representation.
Journalists/Technologists
=
Folks who work in journalism using data/design/coding skills. (That includes the people who edit those teams too.)
Journalists/Technologists
are
uniquely positioned
to change journalism.
CHANGE #1�
Better Journalism
CHANGE #2�
Collaboration on an entirely new level
Collaborate
on the tech.
Compete
on the stories.
“
”
“ICIJ’s data and research unit indexed, organized and analyzed the 2.6 terabytes of data that make up the leak, using collaborative platforms to communicate and share documents with journalists working in 25 languages in nearly 80 countries.”
CHANGE #3�
Making the journalism industry
a better
place to work, from within
CHANGE #3A�
Unions
“On average, women of color in the Los Angeles Times’ bargaining unit make less than 70 cents for every dollar earned by a white man.”
The guild study was led by Anthony Pesce, a data journalist and reporter on the LA Times Data Desk.
“Women of color in the newsroom receive $30,000 less than white men — a gap of 35 percent when comparing median salaries.”
Pay study analysis by Steven Rich, an investigative data journalist at the Washington Post. Steven gave a great lightning talk about this at NICAR this year. His slides: bit.ly/investigatingourselves
But this isn’t only a story about large news organizations.
Katie Gillespie, an education and data reporter at The Columbian, is also the union organizer for the guild.
Many other data journalists have also led pay studies at their own organizations, and have brought their findings to management, even if the reports weren’t made public.
All of this is built on top of the work unions have been doing for a long time. But now, instead of paying an external group to study your data, newsrooms staff have the skills to do it themselves.
CHANGE #3B�
Hiring policies and diversity reports
Not a comprehensive timeline!
Instead, a highlight of newer journalism companies whose data/graphics staff were integral to the creating of these reports for their readers, and when they first started doing it.
But there are only around 10 news organizations total that have public, easily-findable and readable diversity reports to begin with!
2014
2015
2018
2019
Plus, a longstanding journalism diversity census is getting shut down.
“...the 40-year-old ASNE diversity census is being scrapped. The last edition was reported for 2018 and published in 2019.
Response rates have been poor in recent years. Part of the strategic review is figuring out a new direction for diversity issues that will match a broader range of community and inclusion issues.”
CHANGE #3C�
Marrying unions + diversity
“a first-of-its kind diversity provision”
A union contract that:
Requires at least 2 candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups in journalism are interviewed
A union contract that:
Created a diversity committee that includes managers
A union contract that:
Requires an annual demographic survey
Journalists/Technologists
are uniquely positioned
to change journalism.
Journalists/Technologists
are uniquely positioned
to change journalism.
And they’re
doing it!
One step at a time.
Journalists/Technologists
are uniquely positioned
to change journalism.
And they’re
doing it!
One step at a time.
Creating better journalism.
Collaborating at an entirely new level.
Making the journalism industry a better place to work.
Thank you!
❤
Contact me:�
sisi@opennews.org
@sisiwei
Or say hi in the
CSVConf Slack
Questions
Contact me:�
sisi@opennews.org
@sisiwei
Or say hi in the
CSVConf Slack