Since the start of Hacks/Hackers in 2009, we’ve heard from lots of people interested in the ways journalists and developers can help each other push what’s possible at the intersection of news and technology. So we’re very pleased to kick off 2012 with the new version of Help by Hacks/Hackers, a forum for you to ask and answer any practical, forward-looking, and philosophical questions about news and media work.
Public Journalism Club and Microsoft Innovation Center Armenia, the organizers of Hackathon[YAN] Yerevan contest which will take place on 17-18 December 2011, have received over 50 applications from teams willing to take part in the competition. 50 teams submitted projects that aim at solving the issues of Yerevan, Armenia’s capital. Projects will be hacking issues related to health, transportation, education, environment, problems of disabled people living in the city and tourism.
Hacks/Hackers global coordinator and New York co-organiser Chrys Wu (@MacDiva on Twitter) spent an evening with Hacks/Hackers Brighton on Tuesday, 22 November to report on what chapters around the world have been doing. She explained Hacks/Hackers started just 18 months ago, with an idea originating in mid-2009. “Developers and journalists really do need each other,” Wu said, explaining how a variety of social meetups, talks, demo days and hackathons are the basis for the Hacks/Hackers community.
Ryan Murphy, data reporter at Texas Tribune, was the speaker for the November meetup of Hacks/Hackers ATX. He talked about a variety of projects that he uses in reporting publicly available information and how the Texas Tribune integrates various tools, like Google Fusion Tables, in their coverage. The Tribune was kind enough to sponsor Home Slice Pizza for us. For December, we’ll be teaming up with some other Austin meetup groups for a holiday party.
When a story is best told through a visual representation of geography, maps are often the best way of telling it. Three journalists joined Hacks/Hackers NYC to explain how they approached mapmaking for their recent projects. Slides and code from their presentations are available in this link bundle. While New York was preparing for Hurricane Irene, John Keefe, WNYC’s senior executive producer for news, decided to create a hurricane evacuation map so people could see whether or not they needed to leave their homes.
On Oct. 4, Hacks/Hackers ATX met at Austin American-Statesman to hear from the Statesman’s own Christian McDonald on Deconstructing the Bastrop Complex Fire Map. We were all aware of the devastation of the wildfires in early September, and the Statesman used innovative techniques to provide the community with information and coverage. Check out his video and presentation (also on Slideshare) embedded below. Links associated with the presentation are available on Delicious.
(Post en español) Yes, we have grown. Maybe too fast. Hacks/Hackers Buenos Aires has reached 470 members and continues to grow. The Buenos Aires chapter, founded in April of this year, and bringing together journalists and software programmers, has realized a series of activities in this city, crossing the borders of Latin America, and finally reaching Europe. Several projects generated within that space have taken shape through collaborative efforts.
(English post) Sí, hemos crecido. Tal vez demasiado rápido. Hacks/Hackers Buenos Aires llega a casi 470 inscriptos, y sigue subiendo. El capítulo de Buenos Aires que reune periodistas y programadores de software fundado en abril de este año propuso una serie de actividades que explotaron en esta ciudad, traspasaron las fronteras por América latina, y finalmente por Europa. También han tomado forma algunos de los proyectos generados en el espacio, con esfuerto y trabajo colaborativo.
Hackathon[YAN] Yerevan 2011 Public Journalism Club a Yerevan based Non-Profit, chapter of Hacks/Hackers in Armenia and Microsoft Innovation Center in Armenia in association with Yerevan City Hall will launch Hackathon[YAN] Yerevan 2011 contest of innovative ideas that will take place on 17 December, 2011 in Yerevan, Armenia. Why Hackathon[YAN] ? Well, because most Armenian last names end with YAN This will be the first large scale Hackathon organized in Armenia.
Hacks & Hackers abre nuevo capítulo europeo. Madrid acoge el próximo jueves 27 de octubre la primera meet up en la capital española, con el título: _La tecnología en el emprendimiento periodístico. _ El evento tendrá lugar en Medialab- Prado a las 6.30 de la tarde y se retransmitirá también por streaming, dentro del proyecto Hybrid- days. En este primer encuentro se presentan varios proyectos de emprendimiento periodístico y tiene como objetivo extender la cultura emprendedora que ha caracterizado Internet desde su fundación al periodismo, como un alternativa al cambio estructural en el modelo de negocio de los grupos editoriales.