Sensor journalism

Examples of sensor-based journalism (below) date back to the early 2000sSensors & Journalism, Tow Center report (see 'Case studies,' 2014 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) 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 example) and remote sensors (see ProPublica example).[http://towcenter.org/sensors-and-journalism/sensors-and-journalism-propublica-satellites-and-the-shrinking-louisiana-coast/ Tow Center blog, "ProPublic Satellites and the Shrinking Louisiana Coast]

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.Sensors & Journalism, Tow Center report, "Closed Source Initiatives" p. 164, 2014

Sensor journalism modules have been taught at Emerson College[http://publiclab.org/search/sensor%20journalism "Sensor journalism student reflections"] (around water quality/contamination) and Florida International University (around sea-level rise).[http://www.eyesontherise.org/rktd/ Gutsche, Robert. King Tide Day project from Florida International University][http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/cultist/2014/09/king_tide_day_students_gather_on_miami_beach_to_combat_sea_level_rise_apathy.php Lean, Rachel. "King Tide Day: Students Gather on Miami Beach To Combat Sea Level Rise Apathy," Miami New Times (2013)][http://www.today.com/video/today/56214810#56214810 TODAY Show. King Tide Day (2014)][http://www.robertgutschejr.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/sea-level-journalism-practice.pdf Gutsche, Robert "RECIPROCAL (AND REDUCTIONIST?) NEWSWORK An examination of youth involvement in creating local participatory environmental news," Journalism Practice (2015)] San Diego State University planned an air-quality sensor-journalism module for spring 2015.

[http://sensorjournalism.wordpress.com "What's In the Air?" project from San Diego State University]

• Houston Chronicle, In Harm’s Way[http://www.chron.com/news/article/Chronicle-cross-county-study-reveals-risky-load-1643020.php Houston Chronicle, In Harm’s Way]

:A study about toxic chemicals in the air in public parks.

• USA Today, Ghost Factories[https://www.usatoday.com/topic/B68DCD3E-7E3F-424A-BDA4-41077D772EA1/ghostfactories/ 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[http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/speeding-cops/ Sun Sentinel, Above the Law]

:A series about the tendencies of cops to speed.

• WNYC Cicada Tracker[http://project.wnyc.org/cicadas WNYC Cicada Tracker]

:A project that revolved around the emergence of Magicicada.

• Washington Post, ShotSpotter[https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/shotspotter-detection-system-documents-39000-shooting-incidents-in-the-district/2013/11/02/055f8e9c-2ab1-11e3-8ade-a1f23cda135e_story.html Washington Post, ShotSpotter]

:A project with 300 acoustic sensors across 20 square miles in D.C.

• Planet Money, Planet Money Makes a T-shirt[https://www.npr.org/series/248799434/planet-moneys-t-shirt-project/ Planet Money, Planet Money Makes a T-Shirt]

:A project that followed the production of a shirt from beginning to end.

• ProPublica, Losing Ground[https://projects.propublica.org/louisiana/ ProPublica, Losing Ground]

:A study of sea-level rise in Louisiana.

• Citizen science
• Remote sensing
• Crowdsensing
• Crowdsourcing
• Crowdmapping
• Data journalism
• Data visualization
• Citizen journalism
• Environmental monitoring
• Open software/hardware
• Open source
• Open science

• [http://www.openstreetmap.org/ OpenStreetMap]
• [http://www.cartodb.com CartoDB]
• [https://xively.com/ Xively]
• [http://www.opensensors.com/ OpenSensors.com]
• Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science
• [https://www.manylabs.org Manylabs]

{{Reflist}}

• Pitt, Fergus (editor). Tow Center report, [http://towcenter.org/sensors-and-journalism/ Sensors & Journalism,] 2014.
• Fahn, James. "[http://earthjournalism.net/stories/feel-me-the-promise-and-perils-of-sensor-based-journalism The Promise and Perils of Sensor-Based Journalism]," Earth Journalism Network, 2013.
• Moradi, Javaun. "[http://javaunmoradi.com/blog/2011/12/16/what-do-open-sensor-networks-mean-for-journalism/ What Do Open Sensor Networks Mean for Journalism?]," 2011.
• Bui, Lilian. "[http://cmsw.mit.edu/working-typology-sensor-journalism-projects/ A (Working) Typology of Sensor Journalism Projects]," MIT Comparative Media Studies blog, 2014
• [http://publiclab.org/search/sensor%20journalism "Sensor journalism student reflections from Emerson College"]
• Kishor, Puneet. [http://punkish.org/Taxonomy-of-Sensors "A Taxonomy of Sensors,"] 2014.
• [http://sensorjournalism.wordpress.com "What's In the Air?" project from San Diego State University]
• [http://www.eyesontherise.org/rktd/ King Tide Day project from Florida International University]
• [http://www.niemanlab.org/2013/03/the-cicadas-are-coming-wnycs-tracker-is-the-latest-sign-of-the-rise-of-sensor-news-networks/ O'Donovan, Caroline. "The cicadas are coming: WNYC’s tracker is the latest sign of the rise of sensor news networks," Nieman Lab, 2013.]
• [http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/digital-strategies/210558/how-sensor-journalism-can-help-us-create-data-improve-our-storytelling/ Waite, Matt. "How sensor journalism can help us create data, improve our storytelling," Poynter, 2013.]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141102021232/http://www.rjionline.org/news/sensor-journalism-finding-meaning-within-data Nelson, Jennifer. "Sensor journalism: Finding meaning within the data," Reynolds Journalism Institute (2014).]

Category:21st-century introductions

Category:Types of journalism

Category:Sensors