If journalism wants to be relevant, it cannot do without facts, figures and data – for analysis, context and quality. In the new course, we teach the skills to turn even complex data into gripping stories with skillful storytelling.
5 questions about the new continuing education program “Data Journalism” – with answers from Head of Program Regula Blocher.
1. What is data journalism?
Data journalism means finding relevant stories in data and telling them with the use of graphics. It is both a research technique and a special form of publication. What sounds “nerdy”, complicated or technical at first glance is just a newer form of journalism. It is primarily about stories – how to find them in data and digital documents, analyze and classify them and then make them accessible to a broad public using storytelling and visualization methods.
2. Why is storytelling so important?
Storytelling skills are extremely important in data journalism in order to be able to create concrete and exciting stories from large amounts of interesting but often abstract information. These must be comprehensible, understandable and, above all, relevant to society. To this, we interview those affected, obtain statements from those responsible and analyze possible solutions.
3. What other topics are covered in the course?
In the first semester, basic knowledge in the field of digital journalism is taught. Various aspects are covered, such as fact-checking and multimedia storytelling. Communication via social media and ethical as well as legal issues are covered.
In the second semester we focus on the core skills of data journalism. Topics such as investigative research and visual storytelling are covered here. Students also gain an understanding of statistics and programming languages, which are important for data analysis and visualization. Machine learning techniques and tools are also learned in order to be able to analyze large amounts of data (big data) and process texts automatically.
4. How technical or even “nerdy” is the course?
The course offers a good mix of technical background knowledge and journalistic application. We teach programming, but with the intention of making data journalism work easier. For instance in areas like research, analysis or visualization of data. We also attach great importance to highlight the background of technological developments and to promote a responsible approach to them. For example, we examine the impact of artificial intelligence on society and discuss ethical issues.
5. What title do I receive on completion of the course?
After two semesters, you graduate as an “Academic Expert in Data Journalism“. With a third semester, the course can be extended to a fully-fledged Master’s course of studies, which concludes with the academic degree “Master of Arts (Continuing Education)”. In addition to the academic qualification, which can be gained as part-time continuing education, the course offers all graduates the opportunity to work in new job profiles, for example as a Data Journalist, Interactive News Developer or Visual Desk Editor.
Another Q&A blog entitled “Journalists from all departments, gear up!” explores the question of why these fields of study make journalists more attractive and indispensable to employers.
Do you have questions about the program? Contact our Head of Program Regula Blocher!
Phone: 0800 40 00 77-09
E-mail: regula.blocher@fh-wien.ac.at