On the sidelines of the Microsoft Data Insights Summit 2017 in Seattle, Associated Press announced that it will use Microsoft Power BI for data storytelling.
The news agency, with locations in more than 100 countries, continues to lead the way in data journalism and provides newsrooms worldwide with data-driven reporting like the recent analysis of the history of refugees from the seven countries included in the United States’ proposed travel ban.
The pilot program will enable local and regional news outlets to more easily uncover and report the data-driven local stories through AP’s use of Power BI. The first showcase of the same was yesterday for news outlets like WTOP to enhance its coverage of the Virginia gubernatorial primary election.
By including interactive visualizations along with the data, the AP will make it easier for its members and customers to discover local stories and, with just a few clicks, create and publish localized interactive data visualizations to illustrate those stories with Power BI.
“Data journalism has become a staple of reporting across beats and platforms, no longer reserved for specialists. Government agencies, businesses and other organizations all communicate in the language of data and statistics. To cover them, journalists must become conversant in that language.”
– Associated Press
Collaboration between The Associated Press and Microsoft has been spearheaded by Microsoft’s Data Journalism Program, an initiative to help journalists improve their data analysis and illustration skills. I’m also a part of the program, and attended the workshop for the same during the Summit.
Interactive data visualizations enable readers to dig deeper and uncover the story that is the most relevant, meaningful, and personal to them. AP will expect the collaboration with Microsoft to enhance its data journalism efforts with Power BI allowing it to take data storytelling to the next level.
