n his forward for Facts are Sacred, Guardian's editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger explains how data is changing journalism
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Facts are sacred
Data is spoken of as a new phenomenon, one of the information era, and one at the core of revolutionising digital industries, finance and commerce - but at its core it is little more than a term for the aggregation of facts.
As this, it is something that has been at the core of the Guardian for the full duration of its 190-year history, from a data table published on the front page of the Manchester Guardian's very first edition, to the quote from legendary Guardian editor C P Scott for which this book is named – that "facts are sacred".
The Guardian's Datablog, and its graphics, are the modern face of our approach to data, and the best of this is showcased within this book. From graphics explaining the economy or government spending, to background information on events, to in-depth analysis of huge news events like the UK's riots of 2011, data has been a core component of the Guardian's coverage.
As important to that approach is sharing the data we find and collect, and how we approach it, to allow it to be built on, analysed and improved by our readers. This has been the at the core of the Datablog since its first post in 2009, and is as important now as ever it was – and this book is our latest contribution to these efforts. We hope it's one you find valuable.
