DATA JOURNALIST, A HOPE FOR INDONESIA’S QUALITY JOURNALISM IN THE DIGITAL ERA?

Abstract

The declining of quality journalism as well as the the information overload in the era of big data have provoked the occurrence of data journalism. In short, data journalism is journalism done based on vast and diverse data. It produces data-driven – rather than statement-driven – news reports. Data journalism aims to bring back the quality journalism and help people translate big data by creating in-depth, meaningful and contextual narratives. This paper will uncover the data journalism practice in Indonesia, by elaborating the professional practice of data journalism in two online news sites, Katadata and Visual Interaktif Kompas (VIK). Interview to both sites’ key persons as well as Indonesian data journalism academician was executed to figure out the development of data journalism in a unique context of Indonesia. This paper also discusses the data journalists’ challenges and chances in improving the quality of online journalism in the future. Based on the interview and observation to the current practice of online journalism in Indonesia as well as a reflection on the news sites’ content, it is visible that quality content can have a place in the middle of – as well as promote betterment in – “speedy but shallow” culture in Indonesian online media industry.