Data Journalism Top 10: Chaos in Kabul, Heat Deaths, Earth’s Biomass, Mapping Global Wildfires, Smearing the Greens

Our mapping of top data journalism links from August 16 to 22 found maps by The New York Times and Washington Post showing chaos at Kabul airport as thousands flee the Taliban, an investigation into heat-related deaths by NPR and Columbia Journalism School, a look at a mysterious poster campaign attempting to smear Germany’s Green party, and a comprehensive visualization of Earth biodiversity.

How Nonprofit Newsrooms Pioneered In-Depth Healthcare Coverage Before the Pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic took hold last year, editors scrambled to rapidly assemble teams to cover the crisis. Steps ahead were the outlets already dedicated to investigating health as a subject who knew how to source and build networks of public health and vaccine experts, and crucially, how to investigate both the science and the politics behind the pandemic response. 

GIJN’s Top Reads for 2020

At the end of the year, GIJN compiles a list of its most viewed stories and resources. Here’s the listing for 2020’s top performing stories, including stories on the good and bad of South African journalism, how the global pandemic is affecting Africa’s print newspapers, the year’s top investigative podcasts from around the world, and more.

Powering Up Geo-Journalism for Investigative Environmental Reporting

The South African investigative site Oxpeckers uses a combination of data analysis, collaboration, and interactive data visualization tools to tell the most compelling stories about the land and those accused of damaging it. From mining to environmental crimes and wildlife trafficking, it has brought investigative techniques to beats like mining that were once the preserve of business reporters.