Patterns in Award Winning Data Storytelling

TLDR

Data storytelling is rapidly gaining prominence in digital journalism, adopted by media houses of all sizes, yet systematic studies of what characterises good data stories remain scarce. This study aims to systematically analyze award‑winning data stories to uncover the characteristics that define high‑quality data journalism and the processes by which they are created. The authors examined 44 winning entries from the Global Editors Network's Data Journalism Award (2013‑2016) using a conceptual model to uniformly characterize each case, identify story types, and catalog the technologies employed. The analysis refined the traditional typology of data stories, highlighted core technologies and tools essential to effective data journalism, and underscored the competencies required for contemporary and future newsrooms.

Abstract

Data storytelling is rapidly gaining prominence as a characteristic activity of digital journalism with significant adoption by small and large media houses. While a handful of previous studies have examined what characterises aspects of data storytelling like narratives and visualisation or analysis based on single cases, we are yet to see a systematic effort to harness these available resources to gain better insight into what characterises good data stories and how these are created. This study analysed 44 cases of outstanding data storytelling practices comprising winning entries of the Global Editors Network's Data Journalism Award from 2013 to 2016 to bridge this knowledge gap. Based on a conceptual model we developed, we uniformly characterised each of the 44 cases and then proceeded to determine types of these stories and the nature of technologies employed in creating them. Our findings refine the traditional typology of data stories from the journalistic perspective and also identify core technologies and tools that appear central to good data journalism practice. We also discuss our findings in relations to the recently published 2017 winning entries. Our results have significant implications for the required competencies for data journalists in contemporary and future newsrooms.