Sensor journalism refers to the use of

sensors A sensor is often defined as a device that receives and responds to a signal or stimulus. The stimulus is the quantity, property, or condition that is sensed and converted into electrical signal. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a devi ...

to generate or collect data, then analyzing, visualizing, or using the data to support journalistic inquiry. This is related to but distinct from

data journalism Data journalism or data-driven journalism (DDJ) is journalism based on the filtering and analysis of large data sets for the purpose of creating or elevating a news story. Data journalism reflects the increased role of numerical data in the p ...

. Whereas

relies on using historical or existing data, sensor journalism involves the creation of data with sensor tools. This also includes drone journalism.

Background

Examples of sensor-based journalism (below) date back to the early 2000s and usually involve the use of sensor tools to generate or collect data to be reported on. The way in which the sensors are deployed varies. In some cases, a journalist will learn how to operate and deploy a sensor (see

Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. ...

) while in others (see WNYC Cicada Tracker), the sensors are built and deployed by the general public. Journalists can also request data from existing sensor networks (see

Sun Sentinel The ''Sun Sentinel'' (also known as the ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', known until 2008 as the ''Sun-Sentinel'', and stylized on its Nameplate (publishing), masthead as ''SunSentinel'') is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ...

example) and remote sensors (see

ProPublica ProPublica (), legally Pro Publica, Inc., is a nonprofit investigative journalism organization based in New York City. ProPublica's investigations are conducted by its staff of full-time reporters, and the resulting stories are distributed to ne ...

example). Sensors used for reporting can be closed source with expressly stated terms of use or open source, which allows for modification of the sensor downstream of development. Sensor journalism modules have been taught at

Emerson College Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It also maintains campuses in Los Angeles and Well, Limburg, Netherlands (Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of Public Speaking, o ...

(around water quality/contamination) and

Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Westchester, Florida, United States. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened to students in 1972. FIU is the third-largest univ ...

(around

sea-level rise The sea level has been rising from the end of the last ice age, which was around 20,000 years ago. Between 1901 and 2018, the average sea level rose by , with an increase of per year since the 1970s. This was faster than the sea level had e ...

). San Diego State University planned an air-quality sensor-journalism module for spring 2015.

Examples

* Houston Chronicle, In Harm’s Way :A study about toxic chemicals in the air in public parks. * USA Today, Ghost Factories :A series that looked at lead-contaminated soil in neighborhoods around previous U.S. lead factories. * Sun Sentinel, Above the Law :A series about the tendencies of cops to speed. * WNYC Cicada Tracker :A project that revolved around the emergence of

Magicicada The term periodical cicada is commonly used to refer to any of the seven species of the genus ''Magicicada'' of eastern North America, the 13- and 17-year cicadas. They are called periodical because nearly all individuals in a local population a ...

. * Washington Post, ShotSpotter :A project with 300 acoustic sensors across 20 square miles in D.C. * Planet Money, Planet Money Makes a T-shirt :A project that followed the production of a shirt from beginning to end. * ProPublica, Losing GroundProPublica, Losing Ground
/ref> :A study of sea-level rise in Louisiana.

Citizen science The term citizen science (synonymous to terms like community science, crowd science, crowd-sourced science, civic science, participatory monitoring, or volunteer monitoring) is research conducted with participation from the general public, or am ...

Remote sensing Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an physical object, object or phenomenon without making physical contact with the object, in contrast to in situ or on-site observation. The term is applied especially to acquiring inform ...

* Crowdsensing *

Crowdsourcing Crowdsourcing involves a large group of dispersed participants contributing or producing goods or services—including ideas, votes, micro-tasks, and finances—for payment or as volunteers. Contemporary crowdsourcing often involves digit ...

* Crowdmapping *

Data journalism Data journalism or data-driven journalism (DDJ) is journalism based on the filtering and analysis of large data sets for the purpose of creating or elevating a news story. Data journalism reflects the increased role of numerical data in the p ...

Data visualization Data and information visualization (data viz/vis or info viz/vis) is the practice of designing and creating Graphics, graphic or visual Representation (arts), representations of a large amount of complex quantitative and qualitative data and i ...

Citizen journalism Citizen journalism, also known as collaborative media, participatory journalism, democratic journalism, guerrilla journalism, grassroots journalism, or street journalism, is based upon members of the community playing an active role in the pro ...

Environmental monitoring Environmental monitoring is the processes and activities that are done to characterize and describe the state of the environment. It is used in the preparation of environmental impact assessments, and in many circumstances in which human activit ...

* Open software/hardware *

Open source Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use and view the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open source model is a decentrali ...

Open science Open science is the movement to make scientific research (including publications, data, physical samples, and software) and its dissemination accessible to all levels of society, amateur or professional. Open science is transparent and accessib ...

Tools and platforms

OpenStreetMap

CartoDB

Xively

OpenSensors.com
* Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science
Manylabs

References

{{Reflist

External links

* Pitt, Fergus (editor). Tow Center report
''Sensors & Journalism,''
2014. * Fahn, James.
The Promise and Perils of Sensor-Based Journalism
" Earth Journalism Network, 2013. * Moradi, Javaun.
What Do Open Sensor Networks Mean for Journalism?
" 2011. * Bui, Lilian.
A (Working) Typology of Sensor Journalism Projects
" MIT Comparative Media Studies blog, 2014
"Sensor journalism student reflections from Emerson College"
* Kishor, Puneet
"A Taxonomy of Sensors,"
2014.
"What's In the Air?" project from San Diego State University

King Tide Day project from Florida International University

O'Donovan, Caroline. "The cicadas are coming: WNYC’s tracker is the latest sign of the rise of sensor news networks," Nieman Lab, 2013.

Waite, Matt. "How sensor journalism can help us create data, improve our storytelling," Poynter, 2013.

Nelson, Jennifer. "Sensor journalism: Finding meaning within the data," Reynolds Journalism Institute (2014).
21st-century introductions Types of journalism Sensors

Background

Examples

Related

Tools and platforms

References

External links