Amongst the many classes here at Hofstra, I have had the opportunity to research some topics that have sparked a great deal of interest to me. Check it out!
Introduction to Digital Mapping (GEOG060)
This course introduced me to how to use spatial data in ArcGIS software to create and analyze maps. As a final project, I researched how GIS is closely related to Broadcast Media.
Visualization is a crucial part of broadcast media because information needs to be displayed in ways that are easily understood and accessed by viewers.
Geographic information system (GIS) software takes data and helps journalists create more timely, in-depth, and easier reporting for the audience to digest.
The media can be hyper-local or nationwide. From the data included in GIS packages, analysts can find out detailed information about emergency service dispatching, traffic and public transportation management, climatology, and epidemiology and public health- these are issues covered daily by media outlets.
Two of the most popularly known uses for GIS are the weather maps and presidential election maps.
The weather maps projected onto the news broadcasts come from meteorologists. Not only does geographic data includes elevation, city locations, and population, as well as, weather-related information like climate, rainfall, and weather activity. With GIS technology, meteorologists can achieve more accurate weather forecasting track dangerous weather conditions. Weather reporters are then able to warn audiences about weather conditions more proactively.
It is found that from tracking the weather more closely with GIS technology, dangerous collisions of weather conditions can be foreseen and safety decisions can be made. This has saved lives day after day.
As for presidential election maps, population data is collected from the US Census Bureau and then states set boundaries for voting districts. This allows for government agencies to create multiple plans and approaches to see community interests.
GIS spatial data improves voter turn out by (Bergum, 2020):
- situating polling places in accessible llocations
- helps voters find their locations
- shared wait times for voting
- relays election results data
Raw numbers don’t do much for viewers, humans turn to usual data for faster processing. This is why news uses spatial data and GIS to analyze election results.
Election results get linked to state, county, and district geographic data and creates a digestible picture for the audience. From there, color coding red for republican and blue for democrat are applied.
GIS enables reporters to track weather conditions and presidential election maps more closely to provide timely, in-depth, and easy to understand news updates. Tracking GIS weather maps allows for proactive decisions to be made based on weather conditions. Keeping track of districts during elections attracts more people to the polls by leading them to the most convenient polling places and efficiently shares election results. All of this data is shared in a visually appealing way that enables audiences to digest the information better.
GIS in broadcast media informs citizens and contributes to the public flow of information that can impact voting results and save lives by sharing dangerous weather updates.
Gabriella Marinelli 