Interviewing the Numbers

 Numbers provide more context in stories than we journalists originally think. I read Scott R. Maier's article 'Interviewing the Numbers' and it dove into the concept of how numbers play a role in journalism. There's no escape to numbers as they're evident in every story waiting to be written. Journalists are meant to make it easier for readers to understand a story as they most likely aren't an expert in the field, but journalists aren't experts either. Using experts as sources can be as difficult as numbers because it can seem as though you're experiencing a new language, but creating an environment for yourself as a journalist that allows you to understand the topic, and then produce it in a way that the reader can comprehend is critical. Numbers can help add to the story and while it can look like data bores the audience, it can actually liven the story up with information that can make a base layer of understanding, or an element of surprise for the reader. The lack of numbers used in journalism comes not with the lack of knowledge, but the lack of confidence to interact with numbers in a way that can help advance the story. Numbers can be tricky as they're sometimes miscalculated, but that's when journalists and editors can double check and really make sure if the numbers make sense.