Reporting and breaking the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers investigations required a centralized platform that made it possible for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists’ to collaborate while exploring tens of millions of files. As successful as these probes proved, the platform failed to make a searchable database that connected data stored in individual reporters’ computers. Supported by a 2017-18 Magic Grant
Public records under threat
On April 13, members of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism and the Brown Institute of Media Innovation at Stanford coordinated an event to discuss the threats to public records in an age of digital distribution. With an audience of eighty, panels comprised of journalists, technologists, librarians and engineers identified the biggest challenges in this
Announcing the Magic Grantees for 2018-2019!
The Brown Institute for Media Innovation, a collaboration between Columbia Journalism School and the Stanford University’s School of Engineering, is pleased to announce its 2018-2019 Magic Grants. Each year, the Brown Institute awards close to $1M in funding to foster new tools and modes of expression, and to create stories that escape the bounds of
Reporting from Rwanda
Francesco Fiondella, principle investigator of the Data Interrupted Magic Grant, has spent the past week in Rwanda, collecting artifacts, conducting interviews, and reporting on data loss in the country due to the 1994 conflict. Fracesco has spent the week digging through archives, unearthing unlogged weather data that might help strengthen existing climate models. He has interviewed
‘1000 Cut Journey’ Launches at Tribeca Film Festival
The Brown Institute is delighted to announce that 1000Cut, a 2017-18 Magic Grant, is launching today as part of the Tribeca Film Festival’s Tribeca Immersive, presented by AT&T. The 2018 Tribeca Immersive program showcases works by artists who are pushing boundaries, using technology to tell stories and create new experiences and will be on display
Photograpy, Expanded: Counter Histories
Over the past two days, the Brown Institute in New York played host to Photography Expanded: Counter Histories. The program provided sixteen photographers, artists and media professionals imaginative ways to respond creatively to existing images, bringing layers of story into our lived experiences and environments. The program also explored strategies to circumvent or challenge static
Brown travels for spring break
Over spring break, the Brown Institute dispersed, giving talks, leading trainings, and participating in labs. It began at NICAR on Friday, March 9, where Mark Hansen co-led a workshop on how to find stories in data through visualization. In collaboration with Alberto Cairo, Olga Pierce and Rachael Tatman, Professor Hansen taught core concepts of a data interview, through
Dean Baquet visits the Stanford Daily as part of his Brown visit
During his visit to the Brown Institute, New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet had the opportunity to stop over and speak with the staff of The Stanford Daily. Several Daily staff members also kindly lent a hand in the evening event, assisting with coordinating the crowd. Thanks again to those volunteers who could help
Magic Grant Office Hours Available at Columbia
UPDATE: OFFICE HOURS ARE BOOKED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE GRANT CALL CYCLE. To accommodate additional questions and meetings between applicants and Brown Institute staff, we will be holding open All Staff office hours on Wednesday, April 4 and Friday, April 6 from 1-5pm at Columbia. The Brown Institute at Columbia is hosting office hours starting