Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
work, putting up database pages that offer scores of information searches that could be enormously helpful, intellectually satisfying, and sometimes just plain fun. The databases permit both critical and trivial pursuit of information, and a lot of simply useful searching in between. You can check on telemarketers and charities, mortgage bankers and rental housing rates, school test scores and teacher evaluations, bridge safety and toy recalls. You can identify the most dangerous intersections and the most likely places to run into a deer. And thats just a few of the more than 100 databases listed on just one website. On another, you can review all of the requested vanity license plates that state officials had rejected as objectionable. Still another site presents historical weather data to help determine the best weekends to stay around or to get out of town. The newspaper Web sites in a couple of sports crazy towns let you read game stories going back dozens of years. And in a different kind of community boosterism, one website provides a map locating all of the art in public places, and a click shows you a photo of the artwork. Obviously, what we found was more than just public records databases. Many sites have expanded their database page into a public bulletin boards in a very grand sense of the term, offering a wide-variety of consumer, health and environment oriented listings. There are also links to public interest databases made available by commercial sources and non-profit interest groups. In addition, some provide records and data gathered in the course of their investigative reporting, often pairing the data with the archived news stories. One newspaper, the St. Petersburg Times, won a Pulitizer Prize for the reporting it did in compiling a different sort of database PolitiFact , a truth-checking of candidate and other political claims. It is in this joining of public records and broader public data interests that we see enormous opportunity for newspapers seeking to build and retain audiences. These Data Central, to pick one name, pages are making the newspapers website the place to go when you need to know something specific about their community. Many of the database pages also appear to draw significant advertising support as well, particularly because of the tie-in possibilities to the information offered. In the following report, we spotlight a dozen database pages that impressed us and that we believe provide good models. We also highlight some of the more interesting, useful and unusual individual database features we came across, and point to several media sites that have done a particularly good job presenting open records resources and freedom of information links. For those who dont yet have a database page and might be thinking of launching one, weve provided a quick look at the names currently being used.
Theres also a reminder of the need to let readers know that raw data is quite often just that. Weve also culled a few examples of helpful numbers in the news columns and of credits to database site managers. Finally, we provide the raw data of our survey, the findings of our look at each of the 133 newspaper Web sites reviewed. In addition, theres also a compilation of the full range of databases that can be found on those sites a database of our own, sorted into 11 categories of information. Call it a list of the possible, and an indicator of the potential.
The Arizona Republics Data Central The Republics list is comprehensive list and cleanly presented. And readers are gently advised with a simple note, new, when a feature has been added. http://www.azcentral.com/datacenter/
Asbury Park Press Data Universe The Press was a pioneer in the public database field and its Data Universe is still limited to public records. The page makes strong use of photos to illustrate its database groupings, lending visual appeal to lists of records. http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=data
The Cleveland Plain Dealers Data Central DataCentral features a series of reports in which CAR editor Rich Exner outlines research findings, then takes readers to the respective databases to search further for themselves. Example: A Guide to College Selection, with a feature on in which local students tell why they chose a particular college. One entry: a Harvard student who wrote, Honestly, I'm only going there because my dad would probably disown
me if I didn't. The woes of being a legacy.
Other databases featured: Where local executives went to college; hours people work, by profession; current and historic unemployment rates throughout the state; minority population trends; and for Cleveland Browns fans, a link to stories on every game since 1946. http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/
The Indianapolis Stars Data Central The featured database is followed by a half dozen categories of data links and MapIndy, a nifty one-map-tells-a lot that locates property sales, toxic emissions, golf courses, schools, traffic cameras and other points of interest. Database expert Mark Nichols answers questions and there are Know Your Rights links to open government resources.
http://www.indystar.com/section/NEWS03
The Nashville Tennessean Data Central The page is easy to use, with a menu bar of categories followed by vertically listed databases. The listings are freshened with Todays Focus. The Resources feature on the gives readers important information on records and meetings access. http://data.tennessean.com
The Roanoke Times DataSphere An easy to navigate page that pairs 15 categories of databases with Data in the News, which archives investigative reports and the data behind them, and Primary Sources, which presents documents, such as affidavits, related to recent news stories. Data Delivery Editor Matt Chittum writes a column that spins off the numbers.
http://www.roanoke.com/datasphere/wb/xp-index
Rochester Democrat and Chronicles Roc Docs Along with a comprehensive selection of databases, we liked the sassiness of the name and the equally bold pronouncement that here was information about your life. The latter is amplified in the explanatory paragraph that follows, that includes an invitation to database searching readers to send along tips and ideas on what we should be investigating. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=rocdocs
The Sacramento Bees Investigation Center The Investigation Center includes both I-Tool Tips, a blog by the director of editorial research about interesting data sources on the Web, and a categorized database list that tells readers whether entry is one of the many databases produced by The Bee or a link to an outside source. There are also links to guides on the Freedom of Information Act and the California public records law, and a FOIA letter generator. www.sacbee.com/databases
The St. Paul Pioneer Presss Data Planet The Data Planet is graphically in a universe of its own with a handful of highlighted database features, including an interactive map of the governors travels. The categorized list of databases has several breakout explanations and theres an About Public Records section at the bottom. http://www.twincities.com/dataplanet
The Tampa Tribunes Data Bay The page opens with an All Databases heading over a search bar that drops down 60-plus alphabetically-ordered topics to make searching easier. The reader is also assisted by highlighting the new and updated databases in each of the seven categories of information. http://www2.tbo.com/static/news-special-reports-data-bay/tbo-special-reportsdatabase-main-page/
The Wilmington News Journals Data Center Data Center effectively uses art, icons and white space to make the page easy to browse. Highlighted databases are on the left, a listing of more than a dozen categories on the right. One category not found elsewhere caught our eye: Geography and history, with links to state photo and map archives going back to 1890 and to a mapping project conducted by the University of Delaware. http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=DATA
Interactive Maps
Just a click or two from the Big Picture to Your Home
Interactive maps are a terrific way to combine the big picture and micro news, giving the reader a community-wide view of a particular subject, then focusing in on the neighborhood or the specifics of an incident. Most newspapers began their mapping with local crime reports, providing a public safety (or lack thereof) overview. But mapping features are increasingly being expanded to provide a macro/micro perspective on a broad range of topics: economic news such as home sales, foreclosures and layoffs; traffic and parking reports; entertainment and lifestyle information, consumer data, weather and natural disaster patterns; and community highlights and history. Here are some of the most useful and fun mapping features we found. They provide a sense of what can be done. Cincinnati Enquirer CinciNavigator tops the Data Center page. A click or two allows the visitor to select from more than 20 mapping schemes, including the latest local news stories. Topics include crime, traffic, garage sales, local events, and gas prices. The details pop up with a cursor touch and appear in a box below.
http://data.cincinnati.com/navigator/
Indianapolis Star Map Indy lets viewers select their hometown in an eight county area and then call up information from up to 15 databases, depending on the availability of public records in each county. Users can also plug in a specific address. Databases include health inspections, traffic cameras, largest employers and garage sales. A collection of historic photos is planned.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/NEWS03/80327050
Art in Public Places, with pop out photos, descriptions, and artist credits.
http://www.timescall.com/ specialsections/aipp/ index.asp
Los Angeles Daily News The Daily News uses an interactive map to explore the controversy over medical use of marijuana, pinpointing area dispensaries, raided locations, and and to show which cities have an ordinance, a ban or a moratoria. There are also links to related stories, to relevant documents, and to involved agencies and organizations.
http://lang.dailynews.com/socal/pot/index.html
Minneapolis Star Tribune After the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge, the Star Tribune used data on 300 bridges in the state from the National Bridge Inventory and the Minnesota Department of Transportation to create this map. A click on any of the markers provides the inspection rating and other data on the bride. Readers can filter the map selections to view by bridge age, traffic volume and ratings.
http://ww2.startribune.com/projects/maps/bridges/bridges.html? elr=KArks:DCiUP:Yc0D:aDyUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
The Oklahoman Oklahoma City had 63,000 code enforcement complaints in 2008, ranging from abandoned vehicles to big junk to vicious dogs. This Oklahoman map lets readers pinpoint the violations, learn what the city did in response, and how quickly.
http://newsok.com/right-to-know
Orlando Sentinel The golden oldies are mostly gone but a venture off Floridas interstates and turnpike will still take motorists past some historic roadside signs designed to lure tourists. The Sentinels Data Central mapped a number, with pop-up photos. Many also have short narratives.
http:// www.orlandosentinel.com/ community/orl-historicsignslid-map,0,367188.htmlstory
Roanoke Times Roanokes DataSphere separately lists and maps a variety of databases, from weather data going back to the 1940s, scrap tire piles around the city, ethnic markets, downtown off street parking and reader-supplied black bear sightings.
http://www.roanoke.com/ datasphere/wb/xp-index
San Francisco Chronicle Okay, its not Hollywood. Still, quite a few popular movies have been filmed in this town. The Chronicles Data Center shows you where and links you to each movies trailer. The site also offers a variety of entertainment and recreation related maps on hiking and outdoors activities, golf courses, museums and art galleries, open spaces, and restaurants top rated by the paper.
http://www.sfgate.com/maps/ movies/
Washington Post The Posts Explorer puts an enormous amount of information at your cursor tip. Plug in your current address, or any other location, as a center point and Local Explorer maps not just crime reports, school data, and home sales but adds places of interest so visitors and new residents can quickly find hospitals, stores, theaters and Metro stops and Washingtons many attractions. They can even check the classifieds.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local-explorer/
Wilmington News Journal DelNav combines property sales and prices, schools and districts, serious crime data and zip codes as optional features on a single map and then links to maps that provide greater detail in the category selected. It also links to a Delaware State Archives site that offers historic photos and stories.
http://php.delawareonline.com/real/maps/baseMap.php
http://www2.arkansasonline.com/extra/databases/
Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/datacenter/ The Republics DataCenter offers a map, updated monthly, that shows speed camera locations and data for each site on how many tickets were issued and the highest speeds recorded. Note: You dont want to drive in Phoenix.
Asbury Park Press http://php.app.com/ssa/search.php Social Security Death Index 1937-2008 and National Archives Service and Immigration Records.
Boston Globe http://www.boston.com/news/specials/government_center/ Which area town is best? Mass Facts Your Town lets you compare your hometown with other communities in ways both simplistic and significant: the age of autos on the streets, the portion of town budgets spent on culture and recreation, teacher-student ratios, housing density, bingo revenues, self-employment -- and in 94 additional categories.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section? category=datauniverse02&GID=Zx2F9v1Djo8kVF5aqRgaHe6ykOKe+rMbtg8Ku2pNat8%3D
Chicago Sun Times http://www.suntimes.com/data/index.html Plug in your starting Illinois zip code and this Sun Times data base will help you find the most convenient, least expensive downtown parking site.
http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/ 2008/09/cleveland_weather_history_find.html
Clevelanders care about their weather. Heres a weather report that includes links to radar and satellite reports, historical data going back to 1900, and a report on the Best Weekends in Cleveland (think September) . Theres also a database showing where Ohioans Are Moving and another on the Sunniest Places in the U.S.
http://data.desmoinesregister.com/results/index.php?info=ialevees
Ft. Myers News Press http://www.news-press.net/data/ A long list of atypical items that includes FEMA grants for hurricane loss claims, needed student supplies by school and grade, licensed movers and complaints against them, coastal cleanup data, and deaths by falling.
Indianapolis Star http://www.indystar.com/section/NEWS03 How good is your school? A one-stop report. Elsewhere on the page, youll find links to two years of traffic accident reports and to records of medically unfit truck drivers
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/99999999/
There are maps of GM and Chrysler dealerships and closings. And databases on student loan default rates at Michigan colleges, unqualified teachers at area schools, and top area graduates.
Louisville Courier Journal There are links to the states Deskbook of Economic Statistics and to the reports on vital statistics of 952 health centers nationwide.
http://www.courier-journal.com/section/DATA
Nashville Tennessean http://data.tennessean.com/ The Tennesseans Data Central bills itself as providing information about your life and it especially lives up to that billing with its education entries. Theres also a link to the city librarys card catalog.
Newark Star Ledger http://www.nj.com/news/bythenumbers/ New Jersey By the Numbers created a highway toll calculator to help readers understand the personal impact of the governors plan to ease the states debt with help from commuters.
Orlandos Data Central takes tourist concerns to their logical extension and then some with databases on theme park incidents and alligator attacks.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/databases/
Timely? Bernard Madoffs Florida client lists. Topical? The percentage of the population obese or overweight and Greenmarket vendors. Theres also a database on area gangs.
http://know.triangle.com/node/11340 Raleigh News & Observer Theres Guide to online African American history sources, and for consumers, links to OSHA inspections, licensed auctioneers and acupuncturists. Also business closings and personnel layoffs.
Roanoke Times http://www.roanoke.com/datasphere/wb/xp-index Primary Sources takes the reader to documents that were critical in reporting recent stories. The website has some other unusual databases: Virginias best selling booze (FYI: Jack Daniels, Grey Goose); cougar sightings; and word clouds and word trees from the presidential debates. Theres a link to county GIS maps.
Theres an extensive database on charities and fundraisers. Other databases include campus crime, police overtime, victims compensation, and a wheelchair access map.
Sacramento Bee The health reports include emergency room death rates and hospital prices.
http://www.sacbee.com/1098/story/1170269.html
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/special/infozone.nsf/ story/209F03EE47CD18AE862573E700789209?OpenDocument
http://extras.twincities.com/car/perdiem/perdiem.htm
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/
San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/webdb/uninsured/ The Chronicle tracks Californians without health insurance by area, age, gender, and income. There are also databases on car-jackings in Oakland and restaurant robberies across the Bay area. And a map of public open spaces.
http://wwwb.thenewstribune.com/databases/judges/
Tampa Tribune
special-report-license-plate-database/
http://www2.tbo.com/static/news-special-reports-data-bay/tbo-
Toxic wells, bank and credit union performance ratings, private foundation giving, college athlete graduation rates, and ...
Wilmington News Journal http://php.delawareonline.com/state/creditcard/ Credit card spending by state employees. Plus the, Union of Concerned Scientists nuclear plant watch, development and zoning maps, and Homeland Security spending.
Freedom of Information
Links to Resources and Right to Know Reminders
A number of media websites have packaged information on state and federal public records laws with their featured databases. They provide links to a variety of freedom of information resources and organizations, and to state and federal laws. The inclusion of the FOI links not only connects viewers with helpful information, it serves to boost the case for greater government transparency when readers are engaged and thinking about the utility of public records. Heres a look at what a half-dozen sites are doing.
Appleton Post Crescent and Green Bay Press Gazette http://www.postcrescent.com/section/datamine http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/ pbcs.dll/section?category=datamine
Ft. Myers News Press http:// www.news-press.net/data/ Readers are not only directed to key FOI links to help them get involved, they are then urged to share their public records discoveries.
Nashville Tennessean http:// data.tennessean.com/ The headings get right to the point.
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=rocdocs Roc Docs provides urls and e-mail addresses that can be used to submit records requests to state and local agencies.
The Oklahoman: http://newsok.com/right-to-know Readers are reminded of the importance of open government laws in a box that opens the Right to Know page. Theres a separate box inviting readers to learn more, with links to state and federal records laws and open government resources.
The Cleveland Plain Dealers database editor, Rich Exner, provides a Featured Story for the Data Central page. These frequently spin off the news and events, as did this article using graduation week as the predicate. http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/
The Indianapolis Star links at the top right of its opening page to database expert Mark Nichols and a What You Need to Know feature designed to help people use the papers databases. http:// www.indystar.com/ section/NEWS03
The Fort Myers News Press positions its credit box at the bottom right of the scroll down page, introducing Online Content Manager and Data Diva Michell Hudson and inviting questions and suggestions about its database features.
http://www.news-press.net/ data/
The Roanoke Times presents Data Delivery Editor Matt Chittum to readers with a mug shot, phone number and e-mail address at the top of the page. There are adjoining links to his Datablog and to a DataSphere column he regularly writes. http://www.roanoke.com/datasphere/wb/xp-index
The Sacramento Bees Pete Basofin writes a blog, I-Tool Tips, on information available on the Internet. Its promoted on the top left of the Investigation Center page in a box listing recent topics. http://www.sacbee.com/ databases/
The qualifications the Central NJ Courier News attached to the Social Security Death Records Index not only qualified the data, it provided a whole new perspective. http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=datauniverse01
But a few of the data sites play on the newspapers location. So in Tampa its Data Bay and Tacoma, Sound Info. Rochester offers Roc Docs and the Boston Globe, Mass Facts.