Ashley Albrecht | Nov. 15, 2009
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| Photo by Jenny Porter |
| The Indianapolis Star’s Steve Berta talked to students about using data to drive investigative pieces. He called that process "the heartbeat of some of the best journalism in America." |
And some of the best research that leads to ground-breaking stories rests on data, according to Steve Berta, senior editor at the Indianapolis Star, who talked about how quantitative methods can result in good journalism during a campus visit last week.
Investigative journalism that includes this type of fact-searching is “the heartbeat of some of the best journalism in America,” he told students in assistant professor W. Joann Wong’s J502 Quantitative Methods Research for Journalists class.
“Journalism, done well, is a search for the truth,” said Berta, who oversees public service, which includes state, metro and business desks.
Investigative journalism has enabled Berta and the Indy Star staff to expose many of the state’s “social ills,” he said. Most recently, The Star inspected over 900,000 records in its investigation into police recommendation of gun permits to those who have committed crimes. Garnering the highest readership rating of any story at The Star, the report also caught the attention of Gov. Mitch Daniels and was applauded even by some Second Amendment activists.
“We’ve done more watchdog journalism than ever in the past two years,” said Berta. “It’s the kind of thing that can create change.”
Berta explained his two primary investigative methods: “shoe-leather” journalism and data analysis. Before any number-crunching occurs, the journalist must first get in direct contact with all potential sources. Then, and only then, can the data mining begin, he said.
“You find something out for yourself … and then lay it at the feet of the decision-makers,” said Berta of the process. What counts, he said, is “what you do with the facts.”
Berta told journalism students to gain experience from several internships and to “get yourself the best editor you can find.” He said the newspaper requires at least three internships on the resumes of any new hires.
“We won’t hire anyone who doesn’t have at least three internships under their belt,” he said.
In his work, he said the challenge is the “to cut through the noise and get at the truth.”
“Trust the data,” he told students looking at entering the field. “Don’t just consider yourself another voice among the noise.”
