This document discusses big data and journalism in Cameroon. It provides an introduction to big data and data journalism. It then focuses on big data in Cameroon, outlining the challenges including high internet costs, poor network quality, and low smartphone access. Tools for data journalism are listed, along with recommendations such as using big data to benefit citizens, undertaking award-winning projects, and improving connectivity through international agreements. The conclusion is that big data has yet to become a reality in Cameroon.

1. ICT University, Cameroon
Digital Media Laboratory
Assignment on Big Data and
Journalism
Case Study: Cameroon
Lecturer: Prof Ingrid Sturgis
Submitted by Mirabel Sirri

2. Assignment
• Produce a short three- to five-page
final paper on a topic related to digital
media and society.

3. Introduction
• Big Data is high volume, high
velocity, and/or high variety
information assets that require new
forms of processing to enable
enhanced decision making, insight
discovery and process optimization.

4. Types of Data
• Unstructured data: It comes from
information that is not organized or easily
interpreted
• Multi-structured data:
This refers to a variety of data formats and
types and can be derived from interactions
between people and machines, such as web
applications or social networks.

5. What is data Journalism?
• The term is shorthand for 'database
journalism' or 'data-driven journalism', where
journalists find stories, or angles for stories,
within large volumes of data.

6. Focus of this Study
• Big Data in Cameroon
• tools used for data journalism
• challenges of data journalism
• recommendations

7. Big Data in Cameroon
• Cameroon is still emerging in information
technology.
• ‘Cameroon became linked to the internet In
March 1997.)
• One of the first successful Big Data story only
documented in 2014.

8. Big Data in Cameroon
• New media started sometime between 1936
and 1945.
• It was only in December 2010 that the
government of Cameroon passed a law,
guaranteeing equal access to the internet

9. Challenges for Big Data in Cameroon
• The Cost of internet access is still very high
• Poor quality of network connection
• Just a handful of Cameroonians access to
smart phones

10. Some tools for Big Data journalists
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The spreadsheet
SQL
Data cleaning tools
Visualization tools
Mapping software
Scripting language
Web framework
A Flexible editor

11. More tools
• Revision control
• Document analysis tools

12. Recommendations
• Big Data should not be used for
tracking protesters but also to the
benefit of peoples everywhere.
• Award-winning data journalism
projects should be undertaken by
governments

13. Recommendations
• Governments of growing economies should
sign memoranda of understanding with
companies in the developed world for greater
connectivity.

14. Conclusion
• Big Data is yet to become a reality in
Cameroon
• Abongta Mirabel Sirri Ngwa