Data-Driven Journalism: Key to Fighting Disinformation, Says N. Ram
N. Ram emphasizes scientific journalism to combat disinformation, highlighting media diversity.
Photo by Jorge Franganillo
Veteran journalist N. Ram emphasized the importance of scientific, investigative, and data-driven journalism in combating disinformation at The Hindu Lit for Life event in Chennai on Saturday, 18 January 2026. During a conversation with authors Rukmini S.
and Samanth Subramanian, moderated by Varghese K. George, Mr. Ram highlighted that journalism must adopt a scientific method of examining facts and analyzing them to arrive at reasoned conclusions.
He noted the weaponization of falsehoods and hate through social media and some mainstream media outlets. Rukmini S. emphasized the importance of data journalism and the need for newsrooms to connect data perspectives to the data itself.
Samanth Subramanian discussed the unconscious biases of journalists and the importance of fair reporting. Mr. Ram also addressed India's poor ranking in the World Press Freedom Index and the government's intolerance, while acknowledging resistance and greater freedom in southern India.
Key Facts
N. Ram: Scientific journalism combats disinformation
Rukmini S.: Data journalism needs stronger data links
India's Press Freedom Index ranking: Poor
Southern India: More media freedom
UPSC Exam Angles
GS Paper II: Governance, Polity - Role of media in democracy
GS Paper IV: Ethics - Journalistic ethics, integrity, and objectivity
Potential Essay Topic: The role of media in a post-truth world
Visual Insights
Press Freedom in India: Regional Variations
Highlights states in Southern India where press freedom is reportedly greater, as mentioned by N. Ram. This map helps visualize the regional disparities in press freedom within India.
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More Information
Background
The concept of journalistic integrity and the fight against disinformation have deep historical roots. The rise of the printing press in the 15th century, while democratizing information, also opened avenues for propaganda and biased reporting. The 19th and 20th centuries saw the development of professional journalism standards aimed at objectivity and accuracy, driven by figures like Adolph Ochs, who emphasized 'facts, facts, facts' at the New York Times.
The Cold War era witnessed the weaponization of information through state-sponsored propaganda. More recently, the internet and social media have amplified the spread of disinformation, requiring new strategies for verification and responsible reporting. The Hutchins Commission in the US after World War II highlighted the social responsibility of the press, a concept that remains relevant today.
Latest Developments
Recent years have seen a surge in initiatives aimed at combating disinformation. Fact-checking organizations like Alt News and Boom Live in India, and international networks like the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), have gained prominence. Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used both to spread and detect disinformation, creating an ongoing arms race.
Governments worldwide are grappling with legislation to regulate social media content without infringing on freedom of speech. The European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA) is a notable example. Media literacy programs are also gaining traction, aiming to equip citizens with the skills to critically evaluate information.
The future likely holds more sophisticated AI-driven disinformation campaigns, requiring even more advanced detection and response mechanisms.
Practice Questions (MCQs)
1. Consider the following statements regarding data-driven journalism: 1. It relies primarily on anecdotal evidence and personal narratives to construct stories. 2. It emphasizes the use of statistical analysis and visualization to uncover patterns and insights. 3. It is immune to biases inherent in data collection and interpretation. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Answer: C
Data-driven journalism relies on data, not anecdotes. It is also susceptible to biases in data collection and interpretation. Thus, statements 1 and 3 are incorrect.
2. In the context of media freedom and its impact on democratic processes, which of the following statements is most accurate?
- A.Higher media freedom rankings invariably lead to improved governance and reduced corruption.
- B.Media freedom has no correlation with the level of public trust in government institutions.
- C.Restrictions on media freedom can hinder transparency and accountability, potentially leading to increased corruption and erosion of public trust.
- D.Media freedom is solely determined by the absence of government censorship.
Show Answer
Answer: C
Restrictions on media freedom limit the ability of journalists to investigate and report on corruption and government misconduct, thus hindering transparency and accountability.
3. Assertion (A): Data-driven journalism is crucial for combating disinformation in the digital age. Reason (R): Traditional journalistic methods are inadequate to verify the vast amount of information circulating online. In the context of the above statements, which of the following is correct?
- A.Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
- B.Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
- C.A is true, but R is false.
- D.A is false, but R is true.
Show Answer
Answer: A
Data-driven journalism provides tools and techniques to analyze large datasets and identify patterns of disinformation. Traditional methods are indeed often insufficient for this task.