Artificial Intelligence for Investigative Reporting: Using an expert system to enhance journalists’ ability to discover original public affairs stories

Digital Journalism

Volumn 3, Issue 6, 2015, Pages 814-831

  Broussard, Meredith ^a  

^a TEMPLE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

artificial intelligence; computational journalism; data journalism; expert systems; innovation; public affairs journalism

Indexed keywords

EID: 84977083540     PISSN: 21670811     EISSN: 2167082X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2014.985497     Document Type: Article

References (41)

1. E.Appelgren, Ester, and G.NygrenGunnar. 2014, February. “Data Journalism in Sweden: Introducing New Methods and Genres of Journalism into ‘Old’ Organizations.” Digital Journalism: 1–12. doi:10.1080/21670811.2014.884344.
2. R.A.Benfer, Robert Alfred. 1991. Expert Systems. Sage University Papers Series, no. 07-077. Newbury Park, Calif: Sage. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412984225.
3. M.A.Boden, Margaret A. 1998. “Creativity and Artificial Intelligence.” Artificial Intelligence 103: 347–356.10.1016/S0004-3702(98)00055-1
4. D.boyd, danah, and K.CrawfordKate. 2012. “Critical Questions for Big Data: Provocations for a Cultural, Technological and Scholarly Phenomenon.” Information, Communication & Society 15 (5): 662–679. doi:10.1080/1369118X.2012.678878.
5. B.G.Buchanan, Bruce G. 1985. “Expert systems.” Journal of Automated Reasoning 1 (1): 28–35.
6. D.Cuillier, David. 2011. The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
7. C.P.Dawsey, Chastity Pratt. 2008. “Unsecured Schools given up to Thieves, Vandals.” Detroit Free Press, April 4. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/NEWS01/804040302.
8. Department of Human Services, City of Philadelphia. 2012. 2011 Annual Report. Annual Report. http://www.phila.gov/dhs/pdfs/DHS%20Annual%20report.pdf.
9. Department of Human Services, City of Philadelphia. 2014. “Children and Youth Division Home Page.” http://dhs.phila.gov/intranet/pgintrahome_pub.nsf/content/cydhomepage.
10. N.Diakopoulos, Nicholas. 2013. “Rage against the Algorithms.” The Atlantic, October 3. http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/rage-against-the-algorithms/280255/.
11. N.Diakopoulos, Nicholas. 2014. “Algorithmic Accountability Reporting: On the Investigation of Black Boxes”. Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University. http://towcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/78524_Tow-Center-Report-WEB-1.pdf.
12. J.Diaz, Jessica. 2013. Personal Communication.
13. M.Dick, Murray. 2013, September. “Interactive Infographics and News Values.” Digital Journalism: 1–17. doi:10.1080/21670811.2013.841368.
14. D.Domingo, David. 2008. “Interactivity in the Daily Routines of Online Newsrooms: Dealing with an Uncomfortable Myth.” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 13 (3): 680–704. doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.2008.00415.x.10.1111/jcmc.2008.13.issue-3
15. E.A.Feigenbaum, 1977. “The Art of Artificial Intelligence: Themes and Case Studies of Knowledge Engineering.” Proceedings UCAI 5. Cambridge, MA.
16. I.Flaounas, Ilias, O.AliOmar, T.Lansdall-WelfareThomas, T.De BieTijl, N.MosdellNick, J.LewisJustin, and N.CristianiniNello. 2013. “Research Methods in the Age of Digital Journalism: Massive-Scale Automated Analysis of News-Content—Topics, Style and Gender.” Digital Journalism 1 (1): 102–116. doi:10.1080/21670811.2012.714928.10.1080/21670811.2012.714928
17. T.Flew, Terry, C.SpurgeonChristina, A.DanielAnna, and A.SwiftAdam. 2012. “The Promise of Computational Journalism.” Journalism Practice 6 (2): 157–171. doi:10.1080/17512786.2011.616655.10.1080/17512786.2011.616655
18. H.J.Gans, Herbert J. 2004. Deciding What’s News: A Study of CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, Newsweek and Time / Herbert J. Gans. Visions of the American Press. Evanston, Ill: Northwestern University Press.
19. J.D.Griffioen, James D. 2008. “The Knowledge of What Happened and What Will.” Sweet Juniper. http://www.sweet-juniper.com/2008/04/knowledge-of-what-happened-and-what.html.
20. J.Grimmer, Justin, and B.M.StewartBrandon M. 2013. “Text as Data: The Promise and Pitfalls of Automatic Content Analysis Methods for Political Texts.” Political Analysis 21 (3): 267–297. doi:10.1093/pan/mps028.10.1093/pan/mps028
21. J.T.Hamilton, James T., and F.TurnerFred. 2009. Accountability through Algorithm: Developing the Field of Computational Journalism. Developing the Field of Computational Journalism. Center For Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences Summer Workshop: Stanford University. http://www.stanford.edu/~fturner/Hamilton%20Turner%20Acc%20by%20Alg%20Final.pdf.
22. K.A.Hansen, Kathleen A. 1991. “Source Diversity and Newspaper Enterprise Journalism.” Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 68 (3): 474–482. doi:10.1177/107769909106800318.
23. B.Houston, Brant and Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. 2009. The Investigative Reporter’s Handbook: A Guide to Documents, Databases and Techniques. 5th ed., edited by B.HoustonBrant, Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
24. A.B.Howard, Alexander Benjamin. 2014. The Art & Science of Data-Driven Journalism. Tow/Knight Reports. Tow Center for Digital Journalism: Columbia University. http://towcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Tow-Center-Data-Driven-Journalism.pdf.
25. L.June, Laura. 2013. “Maura Johnston on Why She Opened Her IPad-Only Magazine to the Web.” The Verge, July 10. http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/10/4506824/maura-johnston-on-why-she-opened-her-ipad-only-magazine-to-the-web.
26. T.Labbé, Theola and V.Dion Haynes, 2007. “Rhee Blasts Textbook Process for Letting Supplies Languish.” The Washington Post, August 4. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/03/AR2007080302134_pf.html.
27. O.López-Ortega, Omar. 2013. “Computer-Assisted Creativity: Emulation of Cognitive Processes on a Multi-Agent System.” Expert Systems with Applications 40 (9): 3459–3470. doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2012.12.054.10.1016/j.eswa.2012.12.054
28. D.Marburger, David. 2011. Access with Attitude: An Advocate’s Guide to Freedom of Information in Ohio. Athens: Ohio University Press.
29. R.W.McChesney, Robert W. 2012. “Farewell to Journalism?: Time for a Rethinking.” Journalism Practice 6 (5–6): 614–626. doi:10.1080/17512786.2012.683273.10.1080/17512786.2012.683273
30. P.Meyer, Philip. 2002. Precision Journalism: A Reporter’s Introduction to Social Science Methods. 4th ed. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield.
31. B.Obama, Barack. 2009. “Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies Re: Transparency and Open Government”. Federal Register. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/TransparencyandOpenGovernment.
32. S.Parasie,, and E.Dagiral. 2012. “Data-Driven Journalism and the Public Good: ‘Computer-Assisted-Reporters’ and ‘Programmer-Journalists’ in Chicago.” New Media & Society 15 (6): 853–871. doi:10.1177/1461444812463345.
33. J.V.Pavlik, John V. 2013. “Innovation and the Future of Journalism.” Digital Journalism 1 (2): 181–193. doi:10.1080/21670811.2012.756666.10.1080/21670811.2012.756666
34. J.W.Peters, Jeremy W. 2010. “In a World of Online News, Burnout Starts Younger.” The New York Times, July 18. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/business/media/19press.html.
35. D.Protess, David. 1991. The Journalism of Outrage: Investigative Reporting and Agenda Building in America. New York: Guilford Press.
36. D.K.Remler, Dahlia K., D.J.WaisanenDon J., and A.GaborAndrea. 2013. “Academic Journalism: A Modest Proposal.” Journalism Studies, August, 1–17. doi:10.1080/1461670X.2013.821321.
37. C.Royal, Cindy. 2010. “The Journalist as Programmer: A Case Study of the New York times Interactive News Technology Department.” The University of Texas at Austin. https://online.journalism.utexas.edu/2010/papers/Royal10.pdf.
38. S.Scribner,, and M.Cole. 1973. “Cognitive Consequences of Formal and Informal Education: New Accommodations Are Needed between School-Based Learning and Learning Experiences of Everyday Life.” Science 182 (4112): 553–559. doi:10.1126/science.182.4112.553.10.1126/science.182.4112.553
39. R.J.Sternberg, Robert J., ed. 1999. Handbook of Creativity. Cambridge, U.K. ; New York: Cambridge University Press.
40. L.Sweeney, Latanya. 2013. “Discrimination in Online Ad Delivery.” Communications of the ACM 56 (5): 44. doi:10.1145/2447976.2447990.10.1145/2447976
41. G.Tuchman, Gaye. 1978. Making News: A Study in the Construction of Reality. New York: Free Press.