Cracking the data journalism code in Latin America: Activism, transparency and democracy fuel the adoption of technology

Abstract

The impacts and transformation of data journalism have been widely studied in the Global North but remain understudied in the Global South despite the growth of such practice in regions like Africa and Latin America. This study bridges that gap by exploring how adopting data, software and coding have redefined journalistic values and practices in top-tier units in Latin America. Drawing from the social construction of technology, this mixed-methods research combines insights from fourteen in-depth interviews with journalists from leading data teams and a content analysis of 210 of their pieces. Findings reveal that the primary motivation for adopting data journalism is a profound commitment to democracy in a historically challenging context, evidenced by an emphasis on transparency and collaboration that pushes the boundaries between reporting and activism. While journalists exhibit an alignment in values and motivation, the organizational influence of their media affects how those values manifest in their end products. This research contributes to the data journalism discourse and champions the need to incorporate perspectives from the Global South to enrich and de-westernize academic literature.