Experts have declared that data journalism is currently at an early stage in emerging countries in Africa and beyond. According to Bertrand Pecquerie, chief executive of the Global Editors Network, organizers the international data journalism awards, there is a lot of benefits in data investigation and visualization.
He said they offer a way to change how people view many issues, such as global warming, slums and poverty. “Changing our perception [regarding] these problems is the first step to solving them,” he said.
According to him, data journalism is currently moving into the mainstream due to open data and access to more public and private databases.
“Today, the data journalists are recognised as being at the forefront of newsroom innovation,” he told SciDev.Net.
“Clearly, data journalism is at an early stage in emerging countries,” says Pecquerie. “The real barrier is access to open data, and the laws are still friendlier in, [for example], Sweden and Norway than in Nigeria or Pakistan.”
“Nevertheless,” he adds, “we were impressed by the innovation process within some newsrooms.”
One way of giving data journalism a boost in developing nations he said is for more journalists and media from these countries to apply for the annual awards, says Coelho, an award winning data journalist.
“I hope that more developing countries are listed as finalists this year, because it would make the power of data journalism accessible to all journalists or newsrooms, in all countries, against all odds,” she says. “That could mean more accountability and transparency for their governments.”