Australian journalism and computer-assisted reporting: An empirical study of CAR adoption

Abstract

This study of print radio and television journalists in Brisbane found that more than three quarters of reporters use some form of computer assisted reporting (CAR) techniques every day. However, applying Quinn's three levels of CAR - basic, intermediate and deep - it was also found that most journalists use CAR superficially to undertake quick searches about breaking news. the journalists surveyed did not regard more sophisticated use of CAR as a prime way of generating good stories. This raises questions about the extent to which CAR has penetrated Australian journalism, and whether working conditions in Australian newsrooms mitigate against the kind of detailed research involved in the highest levels of CAR. Nevertheless, while it may be tempting to conclude that Australian journalism is in danger of squandering the potential of CAR, the situation as described may only be a temporary stage in the ongoing fuller adoption of computer assisted reporting.