‘My Tip Really is to Be Curious’

7 NOVEMBER 2024 | REPORTING ASEAN

Reporting ASEAN’s Johanna Son spoke to data journalist Prinz Magtulis on how data helps stories, including those about the climate, and asks him for tips and how-tos for those who want to try out this side of storytelling. Prinz, a Reuters data journalist based in the United States, does data visualizations about the Philippines as personal projects. His work can be seen here.

Johanna: You’ve done a number of data viz around Philippine typhoons recently. As a journalist, what struck you about the data you worked with? 

Prinz: I think what kinda surprised me working on some datasets from the Philippines is their availability. Data is still not that accessible compared to say, the US or Europe, but I’d say that if you look close enough or hard enough, some interesting datasets are just out there waiting to be read, tapped and reported. They can be in random annual reports of agencies, or even a segment of a government website, which honestly, may not be the first areas you’d look for stories but they are actually rich in them.

Another thing is that a lot of these agencies, at least those that I’ve reached out to, are pretty receptive to data requests or even questions you may have about the data. It’s kinda surprising especially since I’m not even in the Philippines, and obviously, I do not use my official affiliation here in the US to talk to these agencies since this is not for our outlet (I tell them I am a freelance reporter doing data stories about the Philippines). And yet I’d say I’ve gotten some healthy feedback from sources back home.

Social media, news and other discussions in the Philippines have been simmering with conversations and arguments about typhoons lately. How do you think data stories can be useful in such contexts, where wrong information also circulates and where scientific experts also get questioned? Some people would argue that at times, facts are ‘not enough’ – even if they see figures.

I’d premise this – that I am not a full-fledged science reporter (I’m more of an economic and financial reporter) so there may be things those really into science would know. But I think it’s important to understand that these types of stories have their own audience, right? You cannot expect everyone to read you and understand your story. But I’d say that even in that niche market, it is always important for a story to be told like how you would to a five-year-old. Simply put, there should be simplicity, conciseness and punchiness. And this is true both for words and visuals. 

Graphics help a lot to entice readers to read your story, and getting that first attention is important, but also sustaining it. To sustain it means to make sure every design you put in there has a purpose – similar to writing, every word should make a point.

Readers can perhaps be ‘scared’ of figures and charts, or may be unlikely to click on, say, a set of slides that tell a story when they see numbers, charts, tables, or even maps.  What’s your experience?

Actually, my experience is kind of the opposite. I seldom find people to be scared of charts. It might be that they find numbers in a story overwhelming. But having a chart or two in your story helps overcome that. In my experience, I find that charts, especially maps, help attract readers to a story, and a striking chart helps sustain that. Readers would naturally be curious seeing colours in an otherwise black and white page. 

You were in text reporting before went into data work and graphics. Is data viz work in news first an information or research or journalistic-related skill, or a visual/technical one?

A data story is really not that different from a typical journalistic story: it has to be factual, with basis, with a reliable source, and put into context. What scares some reporters in data journalism really is more of their assumption that numbers mean math. Not exactly. Sure, a little math helps, but I’d say data journalism is a lot more about logic and reasoning, finding that relevance from the numbers to your story. 

What tip would you give for text journalists who want to have a go at doing data stories?

My tip really is to be curious. When I was in the text side of the business, particularly when I was at the Financial Times, I’ve asked questions from our graphics people about the charts that came with my stories. I asked their process, what tools they used, and then started watching YouTube videos here and there while making my way toward understanding these tools. 

A lot of people come to ask me for courses in data viz or graphics journalism. Sure, that helps. But what really works for someone aiming to start on data and graphics journalism is to just take it one step at a time: I see a bar chart, and I wanna replicate that, what’s the best way to do that? And then I see another chart, what are the steps that I should follow? In short, learn by doing what you need to do for a particular project. I find that I learn the skills and the tools I need more that way, rather than sit and finish a 15-day course on data viz, which again is important, but that would come later.

More importantly, the story you gotta tell should come first ahead of any upskilling. Not all stories require interactive graphics to tell. Sometimes a simple good chart is all you need. 

(END/Reporting ASEAN)