MIT Media Lab and Asahi Shimbun Host Symposium: "How Media Can Change the Future: The Art of Communicating, The Power of Connection"

On May 12, the MIT Media Lab and Asahi Shimbun held a symposium titled "How Media Can Change the Future: The Art of Communicating, The Power of Connecting" at Tokyo Midtown Hall in Minato Ward. This was the second joint symposium on media, following last year's event. Discussions centered on the future of media, using keywords like "data journalism" – the practice of creating articles based on data.

Newspapers and Technology

In his opening remarks, Asahi Shimbun President Kimura stated emphatically: "To fulfill the mission of newspaper journalism, whether in print or digital, we must aim to effectively communicate with readers and provide them with value. Asahi Shimbun will embrace technology flexibly, pursue new ways of communication alongside the times, and continually reinvent itself as meaningful media for all."

President Kimura

 

The Potential of Data Journalism

Next, the team that won the grand prize at the "Data Journalism Hackathon" (an event where reporters, editors, engineers, and designers collaborate to produce news stories using various data within a short timeframe) held by The Asahi Shimbun in March took the stage. They introduced their content, "Making Healthcare Transparent with Data," which compared the number of days required for stroke treatment across different hospitals. They concluded, "Publishing data enables readers to conduct their own analysis, enhancing the quality of journalism through transparency. Data journalism has the characteristic of clearly identifying information sources and the editing/analysis process, and media holds great potential to change the future."

Winning Team of the "Data Journalism Hackathon"

 

Challenges in Data Journalism

Next, presentations were given by MIT Media Lab Director Joichi Ito, Amanda Cox of The New York Times, and Nico Pitney of The Huffington Post. Ito cited The New York Times' "Snow Fall" article—which seamlessly blended video, maps, and text—as a practical example of information visualization. He noted that while opportunities for journalists and data analysts to collaborate on articles are increasing, the challenge now is cultivating data journalism talent that bridges both humanities and sciences. Ito also referenced "Safecast," a radiation dose map incorporating data into maps that he launched immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake. He concluded, "Now, ordinary citizens can also make impactful communications using data journalism techniques. We should consider data journalism from the perspective of how technology and data will play a role in the future of democracy and the relationship between the state and its citizens."

Mr. Ito

 

The Rise of New Media

The panel discussion "Media × Technology: Journalism Beyond Evolution" featured Ito, Cox, and Pitney, with Yoichi Nishimura, Director of Digital and International Affairs at The Asahi Shimbun, serving as coordinator. Responding to Nishimura's question about how the independence of star journalists overseas and the launch of emerging media affect existing media, Pitney stated, "It's not that major publishers can't be leaders in innovation. What's needed is a new approach—the ability to experiment at low cost and a sense of speed. Young talent familiar with new technologies is required." When Mr. Ito pointed out the current chaotic state of rapidly changing device types, Mr. Cox emphasized the rise of mobile, stating, "Things could be completely different in five years, so flexible approaches will prevail. We must not rely solely on algorithms; human expertise is always essential."

From left: Nishimura, Ito, Cox, Pitney

 

Q&A via Twitter

Questions from attendees were accepted via Twitter. Journalist Daisuke Tsuda compiled them and relayed them to the panelists, leading to a lively Q&A session.

Tsuda

 

※All photos provided by The Asahi Shimbun