Data Journalism: How to Become a Data Journalist?; Role, Skills & Salary

If you want to become a data journalist, you must know their roles and responsibilities. With this article, Shiksha brings you a guide on how to become a data journalist. Know data journalism skills required to be successful in this job. Also, find out average salary of a data journalist.

How to Become a Data Journalist?

Data Journalism has become a popular career option in mass communication among students who have an interest in journalism and data analysis. Becoming a successful data journalist requires dedication, discipline and hard work. Mass Communication students, with a dream of becoming data journalist must know what this field is all about. Check this page and know what is included in data journalism, its major components, job role of a data journalist and skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities. Also, find out some of the top data journalists who made a career in data journalism.

What is Data Journalism?

Data Journalism is a type of journalism in which journalists tell stories and inform public by using data as their primary source of information. In simple terms, instead of sharing news and information based on just interviews, press releases, or written reports, data journalism also uses large datasets from surveys, public records, databases and other sources. With data, the news becomes more reliable.

Components of Data Journalism

The major components of data journalism includes following.

• Data Collection - The first and major component in data journalism is collection of data from different sources like government databases, public records, surveys, social media, sensors or corporate reports.
• Data Analysis - Journalists identify trends, patterns and important information by analyzing the collected data through averages, percentages, or other statistical techniques. For data analysis, they use tools like Excel, R, Python, Tableau, Google Data Studio, etc.
• Storytelling – Data analysis will be of no use if it is not properly presented. It is the duty of a journalist to turn data into a compelling story in the form of a news, article, blog, video, podcast, etc. They also use data visualization tools like charts, graphs, maps, or infographics to make complex data easier to understand.
• Transparency – Journalists often share access to raw data so they can verify their findings and reports. This helps journalists build trust and ensure transparency in their story.

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• List of Journalism Awards in India
• Scope of Journalism in India

Who is a Data Journalist?

A reporter or a storyteller who researches, analyzes and uses data to present a news or story to the audience is a data journalist. The basic goal of a data journalist is to make complex information accessible and understandable to readers. They do so through data visualization, bar graphs, charts, statistics and clear storytelling. A successful news piece by a data journalist requires a combination of good journalism and data analysis skills.

Roles of a Data Journalist

A data journalist has to perform following roles and responsibilities to do their job.

• Finding stories in data
• Researching data through reliable sources
• Analyzing data using different tools
• Visualizing data to present complex figures or data
• Reporting collected information in a presentable and easily understandable format.
• Verifying and fact checking data to ensure their reliability and accuracy.
• Follow journalism ethics while sharing news.

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Skills Required to Become a Data Journalist

The skills of a journalist play a major role in their work. It is because a data journalist with required educational qualification and no or few important skills will not be able to perform well in their job. Below are some important data journalism skills that a journalist must have to become successful in their field.

Eligibility Criteria to Become a Data Journalist

The eligibility criteria required to become a data journalist are given below. Students must note that these are only basic eligibility requirements and may vary.

Courses to Become a Data Journalist

Below are some popular courses in data journalism, offered by different online platforms.

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How to Become a Journalist?

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Famous Indian Journalists

List of Well Known Data Journalists

Below are some of famous data journalists from around the world.

• Nate Silver
• Claudia Lauer
• Simon Rogers
• Hanna Duggal
• Steve Doig
• Gregor Aisch
• Sarah Cohen
• Martin Stabe
• Sarah Slobin
• David Mc Candless

Salary of a Data Journalist in India

The minimum salary of a data journalist is INR 2.5 lakh, and the maximum amount can go above INR 25 lakh, depending on various factors, including experience, job role, nature of company, skills of the candidate, etc. At the entry level, candidates with no to 3 years of experience can earn up to INR 7 lakh. Candidates with 3 to 7 years of experience can earn up to INR 10 lakh, and senior level employees are offered more than INR 10 lakh. Students must note that these figures are just aggregates and not the exact salary range.

Read About Journalism Entrance Exams:

• Jamia Millia Islamia Entrance Exam
• IIMC Entrance Exam
• ACJ Entrance Exam
• GMCET
• CUET