How to build a metrics-savvy newsroom
Journalists have a reputation for dismissing data about their stories. But it鈥檚 undeserved.
After all, the axiom 鈥渋f it bleeds, it leads鈥 describes a newsroom practice driven by the metrics of newsstand sales and broadcast ratings. Pulitzers and Emmys are qualitative data that indicates a reporter鈥檚 work is respected by her peers.
Journalists don鈥檛 hate data. They just prefer data that鈥檚 easy to understand (because they鈥檙e busy), gives them immediately useful information about how to serve their audiences (because they鈥檙e still busy), and confirms that their work makes a difference to their newsrooms and communities (because that鈥檚 the mission).