Journalistic Lessons for the Algorithmic Age
Julia Angwin,
The Markup,
Feb 06, 2023
I don't do investigative data-driven journalism, but I respect and follow those who do. It's a field that pushes me toward a more nuanced view of what counts as good journalism: "striving for vague concepts like 'objectivity' or 'fairness' can lead to false equivalents," writes Julia Angwin. "A better approach," she suggests, "is for journalists to seek a hypothesis and assemble evidence to test it." Now this doesn't takes us as far as it would in the sciences; we're not talking about theory-based or model-driven journalism. "The best accountability stories, data-driven or not, start out with a tip or a hunch." And the best journalism is about more than just data and numbers: you need the human element, to show perspective and impact, and you need to be open about your methods, to lend the work credibility.
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