5 tips on data journalism from La Nacion

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Speaking at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia on Sunday, Angelica Peralta Ramos, La Nacion Data project leader, told delegates of the organisation's "initiative to develop data journalism and contribute to opening data".

There is no shortage of stories in a country ranked 106 out of 177 on the global Corruption Perceptions Index, she said, but with no freedom of information laws accessing the data can be difficult.

However, "data is the new raw material for journalism", she said, and "if we use data as journalists then more information will be demanded" of governments or organisations that are less open.

The first step is in overcoming assumptions, or "excuses", about the difficulties of producing data journalism stories when the political environment is less than accommodating.

A list of "excuses" that can sometimes hold journalists back from getting started in data journalism, according to Angelica Peralta Ramos

Too often news organisations can assume there is no credible data available, that an absence of transparency laws make the process impossible, or that a lack of developers or necessary skills in the newsroom mean the project is a non-starter, Peralta said.

Having faced similar situations at La Nacion in the past, she shared her advice on how to overcome such obstacles.

1. Never stop learning

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have opened up much of the information needed to get started in data journalism for anyone with an internet connection, she said, while a quick search should turn up a range of webinars, blogs and books to aid in the process.

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5 tips on data journalism from La Nacion