Most news media staffs are dismissive of the idea of formalised data-based decision making, according to a new survey.

In a report for INMA, researcher Greg Piechota says “democratising” access to data is crucial to transformation, but media culture remains a “key blocker” to its adoption.

In a report called ‘The Benefits and Risks of Media Data Democratisation’, Piechota describes ‘data democratisation’ as “part of a broader trend toward evidence-based decision-making driven by new economic pressures on efficiency, management ideas aimed at boosting effectiveness, and advances in technologies”.

A “meet-up survey” held by the group indicated culture as “the overwhelming blocker to democratise data”. Some 87 per cent saw “dismissive culture” as the single biggest barrier.

The report fuses work from a Latin America audience analytics accelerator with Meta, findings from the first year of INMA’s Smart Data Initiative and “academic research”.

Piechota says the process consists of understanding the purpose of data, choosing metrics, developing data products, “embracing the scientific method of decision-making”, and motivating decision-makers.

It includes case studies from Mediahuis, SBT News, Público, UOL, Editora Globo, Caracol TV, Diário do Nordeste, Los Andes, Grupo Reforma, Página 12, El Tiempo, El Universal, Die Presse and Grupo AM.

The Meta Journalism Project project offered training and US$250,000 in grants to news organisations. INMA also worked with the International Center For Journalists.

The report is free to members; non-members can register to download it here.