the art & science of the comment request for data journalism stories
TRANSCRIPT
NICAR 2017 | Jacksonville 1
The Art & Science of Comment Requests for Data Journalism
StoriesCezary Podkul @Cezary
3/4/2017
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RoadmapThings to think about:
1. Expectations: What should you expect? What should you not expect?
2. Fairness: Striking the balance between being tough and fair.
3. Transparency: Ensure they understand your data & docs
4. Substance: How to maximize your chance of a meaningful response
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ExpectationsLower them, if you haven’t
already3/4/2017
ExpectationsWhat is a request for comment, really?
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Negotiation for information.
. . . With the caveat that it often has to be done in writing vs. in person.
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ExpectationsWhat should you expect out of a request for comment?
In a best-case scenario, they will:– Take you seriously– Look at what you sent them– Take the opportunity to correct anything–Give you some sort of answer
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… You’re lucky if you get one of the above
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ExpectationsWhat should you not expect?– They will not answer all your questions
(that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask them)– This is not a ‘model review’ … they will not
check all your numbers– They care about different things than you
do: reputation, reputation, reputation– Policy and politics trumps everything else
when dealing with governments
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FairnessGive them a chance to
have their say3/4/2017
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Fairness
Quick poll – raise your hand if you’ve ever heard this:“Well, why should we talk
to you? It sounds as if you’ve already made up
your mind”
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Fairness
This is why the phrasing of your questions matters … a lot• Stay neutral• Don’t make any assumptions• Present the evidence and ask
about what it shows
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Fairness
My favorite questions to ask:• Lay out your numbers graf and ask,
point blank: “Do you dispute this?”• Give a quote from credible critic and
ask: “Please respond.”• Point out an inconsistency – you said
this, but then did something different – and ask: “Please comment.”
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TransparencyShow them what you know
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Transparency
Sharing data and documents:
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• Isn’t always possible; obligation to source is most important• But whenever you can do it:– It adds credibility to your reporting–Allows you to ask tougher questions–Gives you leverage
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Transparency
What do you do if you have a lot of docs or data to share?
Let’s look at some examples3/4/2017 NICAR 2017 | Jacksonville
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SubstanceGet them to say
something meaningful3/4/2017
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Good Luck!
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