Mapping the News:GIS for graphics and stories

David Herzog

Missouri School of JournalismNational Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting

How journalists use GIS

Geographic analysis

Make maps for graphics

Sometimes both

In the news: 2006 elections

In the news: 2000 elections

In the news:Hurricane Katrina

In the news:Other stories

A short history…

Miami, 1992

Hurricane Andrew hits south Fla.

Miami Herald

What caused the damage patterns to south Florida homes hit by Hurricane Andrew?

Analysis by surveying section

Mapped wind contour

The story

Newer homes suffered most

Construction outpaced building inspections

Shoddy building practices

Just one decade later . . .

Journalism slow to adopt

Data intensive

Labor intensiveTime to learnTime to analyze

Capital intensive

What helped?

Most data includes a geographic element1990 Census introduced analytic mapping to a few newsroomsGovernment agencies deploying GISAvailability of free GIS dataSoftware easier to use

Challenges today

Cost of softwareArcView $1,500 (US)MapInfo Professional $1,500Maptitude $500

Training needs

Data restrictions and costs

Promoting mapping at J-School

CAR class

Independent studies

Lab with GIS software

Promoting mapping IRE & NICAR

Mapping beat book

Promoting mapping IRE & NICAR

Mapping training

Promoting mapping IRE & NICAR

Uplink newsletter

Promoting mapping at IRE & NICAR

Mapping the News book

Where are we going?

Remote sensing

Mash-ups