Data journalism practice is strongly influenced by political, economic, social, and cultural factors. While deemed to be a significant contributor to investigative and watchdog journalism in the West, capable of uncovering hidden truths to create an empowered citizenry, its practice in non-Western societies with stricter state influence or control of the press presents more obstacles to data access and reporting. This guest lecture uncovers the multitude of ways in which the state may shape data news coverage and journalistic sensibilities in such societies, using examples from the Covid-19 pandemic and its coverage in Asia, and the ways data journalists respond to such actions. The discussion will span all the stages of news production – from the news gathering and selection stages, to the newswriting and presentation stage – detailing the state’s ability to shape public discourse and opinion.
Dr Shangyuan Wu is a lecturer and media researcher at the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore. Her research areas of interest are journalism in the digital age, with a focus on automated, data, immersive, and online journalism, as well as global journalism studies, the political economy of communication, media and democracy, and comparative media analysis. She has published in the peer-reviewed journals of Digital Journalism, Journalism, Journalism Studies, Information, Communication and Society, and Journalism Practice, among others, and currently serves as the International Engagement Editor of Digital Journalism. Dr Wu has a background in journalism, having worked previously as a senior broadcast journalist and presenter in Singapore, covering the areas of politics, defence and education.