Computer-Assisted Reporting

CAR is no longer for loners and geeks
By Fred Vallance-Jones

Capital Connections 2002 is your best opportunity to find out why

A lot of you have been holding off on taking the plunge into computer-assisted reporting. After all, it involves seemingly intimidating computer programs and worst of all, math!

CAR is now a growing force at major news outlets, including CBC Radio and Television, The Toronto Star, CTV News, and at my own paper, The Hamilton Spectator.

The good news that I have been sharing in this space is that these days, it's just not that bad. And now, CAR is no longer something nice to know. Since employers are demanding CAR skills from prospective reporters, there really has never been a better time to learn.

The best news is that this year's CAJ convention will feature the finest line-up of CAR workshops and panels ever seen in Canada.

For the first time ever, an extra day devoted entirely to CAR is being added to the convention, on Thursday April 11. This will allow us to present two full days of CAR training and mentoring, both for beginners and advanced users.

It all takes place in modern teaching facilities at the Carleton University School of Journalism. Carleton professor Mary McGuire is helping organize the program, along with members of the CAJ's CAR Network. Carleton is located 15 minutes south of the convention hotel and is easily reached by car, bus, taxi or boat (seriously; the picturesque Rideau Canal runs right past the convention hotel and leads directly to the heart of the Carleton campus).

The convention will be bring together this country's top CAR trainers and reporters to lead the courses and workshops. You will learn using the most popular software and real-life data that have been used to produce real-life stories in Canadian newsrooms.

It all costs just $20 on top of the regular conference fee. We have no choice to charge the fee because that's what it costs to set up each network account at Carleton. Even with the nominal extra fee it is the best deal you'll ever find in CAR training.

And it doesn't end at Carleton.

Starting Friday noon and running all day Saturday, Capital Connections 2002 will feature the ever-popular computer-assisted reporting demo room. The room is the place to head for your quick one-on-one introduction to CAR. Skillbuilder workshops will teach you a new skill in 90 minutes or less. And there will be two CAR panels in the room, including a discussion of the continuing challenges of obtaining data from Canadian governments and other public agencies. The demo room has become one of the most popular parts of the CAR program at CAJ conventions. It will be located in the main conference hotel at the Chateau Laurier.

Of course, the highlight of the convention for CAR fans will the awards banquet Saturday night when the winner of the CAJ's computer-assisted reporting award will be announced. The prize, one of the CAJ's awards for outstanding investigative journalism, recognizes the finest CAR work being done in Canada today. It is now in its fourth year. Previous winners were Peter Cheney of the Toronto Star, Alex Norris of the Montreal Gazette and Robert Cribb of the Toronto Star.

The CAR award was established both to recognize the best CAR work in the country and to encourage more reporters to try to learn this important new skill. It has been tremendously successful on both counts. CAR is now a growing force at major news outlets, including CBC Radio and Television, The Toronto Star, CTV News, and at my own paper, The Hamilton Spectator.

There was a time when doing this kind of work was a lonely pursuit, guaranteed to earn you your share of funny looks from fellow reporters. But that has all changed and Capital Connections 2002 is your best opportunity to find out why.

While I can't guarantee it won't be work, and for sure I can't guarantee there'll be no math, I can guarantee it'll be worth it. See you in Ottawa.

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Fred Vallance-Jones is a specialist in computer assisted reporting at The Hamilton Spectator and chair of the CAJ's CAR Network.