<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> On Facebook there are interest groups created by journalists, for journalists, that focus on the journalistic profession and work methods. One example is the Swedish group, “Datajournalistik” (in English, “Data Journalism”), which was created in 2012. This article builds on Granovetter’s theory on the strength of weak ties and is focused on the skill development process taking place in the group. A content analysis has been carried out of all posts that received comments in order to explore the social functions of the group. The results indicate both a significant need for knowledge exchange and a need for self-affirmation. At the time of the study, the group was unique in the Nordic countries and as such has played a major role in data journalism’s development process in the Nordic region.</p></abstract>

On Facebook there are interest groups created by journalists, for journalists, that focus on the journalistic profession and work methods. One example is the Swedish group, “Datajournalistik” (in English, “Data Journalism”), which was created in 2012. This article builds on Granovetter’s theory on the strength of weak ties and is focused on the skill development process taking place in the group. A content analysis has been carried out of all posts that received comments in order to explore the social functions of the group. The results indicate both a significant need for knowledge exchange and a need for self-affirmation. At the time of the study, the group was unique in the Nordic countries and as such has played a major role in data journalism’s development process in the Nordic region.

Data Journalists Using Facebook

Senior Lecturer, Division of Journalism, Södertörn University, Huddinge

Nordicom Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

A Study of a Resource Group Created by Journalists, for Journalists

On Facebook there are interest groups created by journalists, for journalists, that focus on the journalistic profession and work methods. One example is the...

Data Journalists Using Facebook

Published Online: Jun 15, 2016

Page range: 156 - 169

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2016-0007

Keywords
data journalism, Facebook, network theory

© by Ester Appelgren

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Data Journalists Using Facebook

Published Online: Jun 15, 2016

Page range: 156 - 169

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2016-0007

Keywordsdata journalism, Facebook, network theory

© by Ester Appelgren

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
data journalism, Facebook, network theory