The Data Turn in Media: An Exploratory Study of Data Journalism Production Network

• Main Authors: KAO,WEI-LUN, 高偉倫
• Other Authors: WENG,SHIEU-CHI
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/84pfaa

碩士 === 世新大學 === 新聞學研究所(含碩專班) === 105 === Technological determinism is typically adopted to explore the transition in newsroom in previous studies. Considering that data journalism stems from various sources such as data released from the government, lower thresholds to access technological tools and citizen participation, this study focuses on the “actors” and what they do in journalism. To understand the translation process and identity transition, this study attempts to disclose the actors and actants in the data journalism production, thereby investigating the diversity and complexity of its network. In this study, five news media outlets are interviewed. They are The Reporter, The News Lens, Initium Media, CommonWealth Magazine digital department and United Daily News Group media center. The interviewees include editors, reporters, data journalists, designers and engineers. This study demonstrates that as the media market has turned to "digitalization" and "data", digital storytelling is not only one of the most significant studies as far as traditional media is concerned, but also the key factor for internet media to build their digital media brand. Due to a wide variety of elements in data journalism, the production is a technological collaboration between reporters, designers and engineers. The production network of The Reporter, CommonWealth Magazine digital department and United Daily News Group media center are gradually flattened, which means horizontal organizational structures have few levels between workers. However, with the lack of human resources, The News Lens and Initium Media have yet to build an ideal collaboration network. Moreover, as data is seen as an actant and mediator, it retains the agency to enroll other actors to expand the network through translation process. Data is not only the source but also the key to unmasking the reality in our society after analysis and visualization. Portable digital skills and technology literacy are important indicators of organizational recruiting, and workers need to gain interdisciplinary communication skills to standardize production processes in the future.