Data Journalism vs Story Pitch

Data Journalism

By James Anditis (Journalism)

Turn datasets into stories with cleaning, analysis, and visualization workflows.

Story Pitch

By James Anditis (Journalism)

Write compelling story pitches for editors with hook, sources, scope, and competitive angle.

Data Journalism

• Cleans messy datasets by standardizing formats, handling missing values, and flagging duplicates
• Guides you through the full data journalism process from hypothesis to publication
• Provides templates for methodology documentation and story structure
• Connects you to major public data sources like Census Bureau, BLS, FDA, and state portals
• Handles common data problems like inconsistent dates, outliers, and similar names

Story Pitch

• Provides proven templates for daily news, features, investigations, and op-ed pitches
• Structures your pitch with hook, evidence, access, and timeline sections
• Helps you answer the critical questions editors ask: why this story, why now, why you, why this outlet
• Formats pitches for different publication types and editorial expectations
• Includes real examples showing how to present sources, visuals, and resource needs

Reach for Data Journalism when…

• You're building a story from public datasets and need to verify your findings
• You have messy data with inconsistent formatting and missing values
• You need to explain your methodology clearly to readers
• You're looking for reliable data sources for research or reporting

Reach for Story Pitch when…

• You're pitching a story idea to an editor or publication
• You need to write a freelance query letter that stands out
• You're competing for an assignment in your newsroom
• You want to refine your story angle before you start reporting