Category: Uncategorized
-
Creating a grid overlay for a map using QGIS
There are a number of reasons you may want to make a grid of points covering a geographic area. In my case, I wanted to work out which point in South Africa was the furthest from a police station. The idea was to create a grid with points 1km apart. Then I could compare the…
-
Automating data downloads from a Google spreadsheet
Downloading data from a Google Spreadsheet is usually as easy as clicking file->Download->CSV But sometimes you need to automate the download. You can either do this by publishing a CSV version of the file (file→share→Publish to the web) if you have editing access to the file. If you don’t have editing access you can still…
-
DataDesk: a better way to collect data in African newsrooms
In mid-2022 we set out to build a new tool for collecting, sharing and publishing data, one specifically aimed at African journalists. The motivation to build the tool was born out of our experience tracking Covid-19 data in South Africa first and then across the continent. For two years from March 2020 we had collected Covid-19…
-
How – and why – we switched from interactive to static data visualisations
In March 2022 we switched from making interactive data visualisations to focusing on static charts with tight constraints. It has undoubtedly been one of the best decisions we’ve made during the relatively short two-year history of our data journalism and visualisation company. Before switching to predominantly static charts we had a reputation for relatively complex…
-
A big list of data journalism tools and resources
Getting started with data journalism can be tricky, especially if you’re unsure of the best way to start working with your first dataset, or even where to start looking for your first dataset. At Media Hack, we’ve been working with data and journalism for the past five years. In that time the number of tools…
-
Did Africa pay more for Covid-19 vaccines?
Countries that made deals with pharmaceutical companies outside of Covax – barring Pfizer – paid more for their vaccines than other nations.
-
Only 7 SA universities included in major world rankings
But how do you get onto a list and does it matter?
-
Eight days of protests and looting that shook South Africa
For just over a week in July 2021 chaos reigned in two provinces, sparked by the imprisonment of South Africa’s former president, Jacob Zuma. We collected tens of thousands of social media posts from Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook posted by ordinary people and media outlets between 8 and 16 July to try to…
-
In the race against new variants, Africa ups genome sequencing
Genome research enables scientists to identify coronavirus mutations and is vital for vaccine development