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# Introducing the Visual Journalist
- URL: https://www.philsimon.com/introducing-the-visual-journalist/
- Published: 2013-10-31T17:10:36.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-05T03:32:21.000Z
- Description: Think dataviz is just for IT folks? Think again.
- Author: Phil Simon
- Tags: Big Data, Dataviz, The Visual Organization

The Visual Organization has arrived.

More than ever, employees are visualizing data to help them understand what's happening–and to make better business decisions.

We've also seen over the past five years the arrivals of [the visual citizen](https://www.philsimon.com/blog/big-data/dataviz-and-dry-cleaners/), the visual consumer, and even the [visual journalist](https://dowjones.referrals.selectminds.com/jobs/2086?ref=philsimon.com). With regard to the latter, The *Wall Street Journal* is hiring reporters with a bent for telling visual stories. (For more on this, see my post [Data Journalism](https://wp.me/p3mmPu-2nU?ref=philsimon.com).)

The trend towards increasing dataviz in media is unmistakable. I certainly don't remember infographics ten years ago. Is it just me, or do articles and blog posts without images seem dated today?

## Simon Says

> The ability to "speak" data will become a requirement in all sorts of jobs.

Maybe journalism isn't dead after all? Maybe it's just shifting. Look at some of the [high-profile tech journalist departures lately](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/business/media/pogue-times-technology-columnist-is-leaving-for-yahoo.html?ref=philsimon.com). Techies like Nate Silver, David Pogue, Kara Swisher, Walt Mossberg, and others are hardly hurting. On the contrary, they are parlaying their brands into [beaucoup bucks](https://www.forbes.com/sites/maxrobins/2013/10/22/billionaires-want-to-pay-millions-for-journalists-who-make-trouble/?ref=philsimon.com). Reporting on technology and data seem to be areas of growth, not decline.

Proficiency with data and dataviz will become even more essential in the upcoming days. Being able to "speak" data will become requirements in all sorts of jobs.