JOURN 305 - Reporting with Numbers

By the Numbers Chapter 12 JOURN 305

Numbers Tell the Story
“ Borat” opened in only 837 theaters and made $26.4 million
Less than one-fourth of distribution of the number two film
Number two picture “Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause” opened wider in 3,456 theaters and made only $20 million

Misleading Numbers
Be careful in how you report numbers
They can mislead if taken out of context

Example
The “number one movie” for the week ending Feb. 25, 2005 was “Downfall”
Sounds like a big hit…but it only grossed $18,195 compared to the $31 million earned by Will Smith’s “Hitch”
So how is the indie arthouse film “Downfall” labeled the “number one” movie?

Example
“Downfall” was only playing in one theater but it’s “per theater average” is higher than any other film playing
“Hitch” averaged $8,771 per theater compared to the $18,195 per theater gross netted by “Downfall”
But “Hitch” played in 3,575 theaters compared to the single theater playing “Downfall”

The Value of Numbers
Journalistic integrity is under fire
To build credibility, use legitimate statistics that can stand the test of heavy scrutiny
Use reputable sources
Double check the accuracy

Guidelines
Cite sources for statistics
Long lists of numbers are difficult for readers to plow through so use a table or graphic, if possible
Round off large numbers
$1,489,789 becomes $1.5 million

Guidelines
If you use math to calculate numbers, make sure that you double-check your numbers
If you get confused by the meaning of numbers, get an expert to help you make sense of it

AP Style Review
Spell out numerals at the beginning of a sentence (except for calendar years)
Spell out numbers from one to nine, except:
Age
Street addresses with house numbers

AP Style Review
When writing dollar figures, use the following:
Under a dollar, use cents
Example: 45 cents
Over a dollar, use the dollar sign
Example: $1.45

AP Style Review
If the number is above 999,999, use the words “million,” “billion,” etc.
Fractions: Spell out numbers less than one
Example: “one-fifth,” “two-thirds”
Percentages: Use figures
Example: 1 percent, 2.5 percent
If less than 1 percent, precede decimal with a zero
Example: 0.6 percent

Proportion
A number may be meaningless without context
Example:
WSU gets an extra $250 million in funding through a bond…this is huge given the proportion it represents in its total operating budget
However, at UCLA this might not be considered as huge a figure since its operating budget is much bigger

Percentages
Percentages help the reader understand the number in the context of the bigger phenomena

Percentages
Percentages are frequently used to identify the proportion
Real examples from a California community college:
59% of students are female
24% are Hispanic
70% are daytime students
10% carry 15 or more units per semester

Beware of Misleading Numbers
Numbers can be used to build your story credibility – but they can also deceive or only tell part of the story
Always be aware of the total population from which the percentage was pulled

Percentage Reporting
Does use of a percentage truly represent the full picture of the phenomena you are reporting?

Misleading Percentages
Example:
A claim that a product has 100% success rate in clearing up acne
If the total population is one person, the claim is basically irrelevant

Dig Deeper: Questions to Ask
Ask for clarification on the definition of the total population
Get clarification on the parameters of the sample population from which the percentage statistic was taken
Ask WHEN the data was taken
Does the percentage represent a total count of the population or an estimate based on sample methodology?

Example of Misleading Numbers
Numbers can (and often are) used to manipulate perception
For example: A recent story reported that the median of player salaries on a football team is $150,000 per season
BUT this does not tell you the whole story

Misleading Medians
Salaries are: $100,000, $100,000, $150,000, $150,000 , $1 million, $1 million, and $1.5 million
If you report that the median salary of a NFL team member is $150,000 then you are omitting an important detail – that many players are pulling down seven figure salaries

Consumer Price Index
You may need to adjust some numbers for inflation
Use the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a tool that you can use to figure out the adjusted constant dollars
The information in the CPI comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and is available online at http://www.bls.gov/cpi/home.htm

Fiscal vs. Calendar
A fiscal year may not be the same as the calendar year
It shows the organization’s financial status from a set date to a set date
A calendar year is Jan. 1 – Dec. 31

Polls
It is unlikely that you will be able to question every single person, so a poll is used to get an accurate sample of a larger population
It is understood that all surveys have a margin of error

Polls
When you use poll data, you may need to disclose the following:
The sponsor of the poll
Exact wording of the questions asked
Definition of the population sampled
Sample size and/or response rate
Sampling error
Date of the poll
Methodology

Problems with Polls
The sample must be selected in a truly random fashion for it to accurately reflect the wider population
Beware of polls that claim to measure opinions on sensitive, complex issues
Many organizations publicize polls because they have a political or social agenda (or product to promote)

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JOURN 305 - Reporting with Numbers

by Brett Atwood on Mar 27, 2007

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