Hacks and hackers: the ethos and beliefs of a group of Data-Driven Journalism professionals in Brazil

Abstract

The study is based on participant observation conducted among the staff of Estadão Dados, and on open interviews with individuals relevant to the formation and diffusion of this type of journalism in Brazil. Computational and network communication technologies are understood to be imbued with a hacker ethic, characterized by technophilia and cooperativism. As the logic of computer network communications is incorporated by journalists, these two typical values of the hacker spread to the journalistic professional culture, whose central ethical element is objectivism. Values of hacker culture were manifested clearly in the ethos of the observed Data-Driven Journalism specialists, whose duties require technical expertise and collaboration with professionals and dilettantes in the field of computer science. Results of field research indicate that Data-Driven Journalism is one of the responses developed by journalists in reaction to economic and identity crises now facing contemporary journalism.

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