“Data is the kind of ubiquitous resource that we can shape to provide new innovations and new insights, and it’s all around us, and it can be mined very easily,”
– journalist and writer, David McCandless
I had the opportunity to explore something completely new this week – data journalism.
Prior to attending the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) Data Journalism 2.0: Sentiment Analysis Workshop, I had little to no knowledge about what data journalism entailed.
It was an entirely foreign concept, and I found myself filled with both excitement and anxiety about the challenge ahead.
As someone who thrives on structure and routine, stepping into the world of data journalism, with all its technical demands and unfamiliar tools, felt daunting.
Walking into the workshop, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the unknown.
I had no idea what to expect and was unsure how data journalism would fit into my current work.
While I have always been open to learning new things—after all, I believe you can learn something new every day—the technical aspect of data journalism felt especially intimidating.
To be completely honest, I have never been the most technically inclined person.
I tend to shy away from activities that involve complex technical processes.
But despite my initial apprehension, I decided to keep an open mind and see where this learning experience would take me.
The workshop itself turned out to be far more engaging and informative than I had anticipated.
Data journalism, I quickly learned, is not just about crunching numbers or generating charts.
In the past, journalism was primarily driven by traditional reporting methods: interviews, chasing leads, gathering quotes, and so on.
While these practices remain at the heart of what we do, the role of data journalism has grown significantly.
Newsrooms today are increasingly expected to provide depth, context, and credibility to their stories, and data plays a pivotal role in fulfilling these expectations.
Whether it’s political reporting, investigative journalism, or even covering social issues, data journalism allows reporters to go beyond anecdotal evidence.
It enables us to back up claims with hard numbers, visualise trends, and expose hidden patterns that might otherwise remain overlooked.
This shift toward data-driven storytelling has changed the dynamics of the editorial room in many ways.
What was once a straightforward process of gathering quotes and writing up stories has now evolved into a more multifaceted approach.
Data analysis, visualisation, and fact-checking have become integral to the work of modern journalists.
Having access to reliable data, and being able to interpret and present that data in a meaningful way, adds an extra layer of credibility to the work we produce.
That being said, learning and implementing these new skills in daily work might be a challenge.
The fast-paced nature of newsroom life doesn’t always lend itself to the time-consuming process of data analysis.
For many journalists, incorporating data journalism into our regular reporting can feel like an overwhelming task.
It requires not only new skills but also a change in mindset.
The technical nature of data journalism means you need to be proficient in tools that might feel foreign or complex, like spreadsheets, coding languages, and data visualisation platforms.
Balancing this with the usual demands of reporting is not easy.
However, despite these challenges, it’s good to know that I now have these skills in my toolkit.
Even if I don’t apply them every day, knowing that I can access and interpret data adds significant value to my role as a journalist.
Interestingly, after hearing about my experience at the workshop, my mother suggested I consider pursuing a master’s degree in data journalism.
At first, the idea seemed far-fetched to me.
Data journalism wasn’t something I had previously considered as a career focus, let alone something I’d think about pursuing at the postgraduate level.
However, the more I reflect on it, the more it makes sense.
In an industry that’s constantly evolving, having a specialised skill set in data journalism could be a huge advantage.
It would allow me to deepen my understanding of the subject and possibly lead to more opportunities in the future.
My mother has always been a big supporter of my growth, and her suggestion made me realise that this could be a path worth exploring.
While data journalism may not be the easiest thing to implement in my daily routine, I’m glad to have been introduced to it.
The landscape of journalism is changing, and having the ability to interpret and present data-driven stories will only become more crucial moving forward.
Whether or not I decide to pursue a master’s degree in data journalism remains to be seen, but for now, I’m content knowing that I have taken the first steps toward mastering a skill set that will serve me well in the years to come.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Sarawak Tribune.
