Stitch Newsroom Data Together with Needle!

Written by Jessica Baumgart Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:37

When I read Derek Willis' discussion on The Scoop about the New York Times Developer Network APIs, I couldn't help thinking, "Yeah, we've got an app for that!" Needle can do everything he mentions doing with APIs: gathering content, keeping current, digging through data, and making it look pretty on the other end. Better yet, you don't need "to tie down a [member of your IT depart­ment] for long periods of time": Needle enables similar efficiency and innovation without requiring computer programming skills. The possibilities Needle offers to information-gatherers like Willis are endless.

These examples from our sample datasets highlight a few relevant features. World Cup History pulls information together from many different sources to provide historical and current data about the contest. Since the domain allows versatile queries, it lends itself to answering questions the creator hasn’t thought to ask. Look at Chicago Homicides to see how Needle maps. Oil drilling events illustrates merging and combining different file formats. And, oh, gee: these collections are filled with information reporters would find very useful. As Willis observes, “When your data is more accessible and flexible, the possibilities for doing things with it expands.” Needle increases options.

The news industry has big challenges on its hands because of how Internet technology and modern trends have changed Americans' consumption of news, chipping away at subscription numbers, revenue, and newsroom staff. More than ever, pulling information together efficiently to provide something novel and unique is crucial for attracting an audience and improving bottom-line numbers. Needle can streamline much of the information handling, making it an excellent tool for this environment.

— Jessica Baumgart, Expert Information Organizer Intern

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