In other words, do you understand what programming can do for newsrooms enough to have meaningful conversations with developers and designers to come up with innovative ways to present your stories?

If not, or if you could use a quick update, check out What Journalists Need to Know about Code by Aleszu Bajak, editor of  Storybench at the Media Innovation Program at Northeastern University. He shares the basic primer the program provides new students. He writes, “...we do our own version of “What is Code?” and tailor it for reporters by offering an overview of 1) how the Internet works and 2) what programming can do for newsrooms.”

The presentation is divided into three parts:   

Computer basics for journalists cover the terms, definitions, and architecture of a computer.  Learn the difference between the front-end and back-end and how they work together in a computer.  He explains API, front-stack, CSS, HTML and more.

Coding in Journalism is about designing layout and news apps, scraping data from websites, and data analytics and visualization.  There’s also nuts and bolts guidance for improving workflow and encouraging collaboration.

Where to start provides a tool kit of links that will help you try coding, development tools and meet programmers online.