FT School of Journalism
Learn the secrets of journalism and how the Financial Times works with top reporters.
The School of Journalism is a new initiative from the Financial Times to provide courses for those developing skills in journalism or keen to learn more about how the media works. It is designed for those from all backgrounds and levels of experience.
FT School of Journalism: Visual and Data Journalism with Alan Smith
This session will provide an introduction on the fundamentals of data journalism, including data sourcing, analysis and visualisation.
Learn about techniques used in the FT newsroom to provide data-driven coverage of topics including the Covid pandemic, major elections and climate change, as well as financial and economic reporting.
Alan Smith, Head of Visual and Data Journalism, Financial Times:
Alan Smith leads the FT's newsroom team of data reporters and visual journalists. A data visualisation specialist, his TEDx talk Why You Should Love Statistics was featured on TED.com in 2017. Alan is the author of How Charts Work, a handbook on designing with data using the FT's principles. Before he joined the FT, he was head of digital content at the UK Office for National Statistics where he was awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to official statistics.
Martin Stabe, Data Editor, Financial Times:
Martin Stabe leads a group within the Visual & Data Journalism team that focuses on computational and data journalism projects, particularly those that involve automation or applications of artificial intelligence. He was previously head of the FT’s Interactive News team, a group of data journalists, designers and developers that developed new digital storytelling formats. He joined the FT in 2010 after beginning his career as a reporter and digital editor at Press Gazette, Retail Week and Drapers.
Keith Fray, Head of Editorial Statistics, Financial Times:
Keith Fray heads the editorial statistics team, who source and visualise data on any subject that the FT might cover, and who also write data-related stories.
In over 25 years at the FT he has helped develop data visualisation into a core part of our journalism, convincing sceptical wordsmiths – and hopefully readers – that a well-judged chart is indeed worth a thousand words.
His background is in economics, studying at Birkbeck College, London, in the days before the academic subject became dominated by mathematical modelling.
He is also co-deputy chair of the FT Group chapel of the National Union of Journalists.
FT School of Journalism: Investigative Journalism with Dan McCrum.
Dan McCrum, Investigative Reporter at the Financial Times, will lead the first FT School of Journalism workshop on Thursday June 29, from 12:00pm - 2:00pm at the FT headquarters in London.
Author of Money Men, Dan McCrum reveals how he discovered the financial scandal behind Wirecard, with wide ranging repercussions in Germany and beyond. He will be in discussion with Helen Thomas, Business Columnist.
Reserve your spot for this unique opportunity to learn first hand from top FT journalists.
Date: Thursday June 29, 2023
Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Location: Bracken House, London
Price: £120
Lunch and coffee will be provided.
Bookings now closed
Dan McCrum
Dan McCrum joined the Financial Times in 2007. He has covered business and finance from both sides of the Atlantic, and has a particular interest in accounting fraud and corporate misbehaviour.
Listen to our FT Talent podcast episode here, where McCrum shares his behind-the-scenes insights on the essential steps to conducting a successful investigation.
Helen Thomas
Helen Thomas writes about British business and finance for the FT. She has previously written for the Lex column, for FT Alphaville as well as covering M&A and the mining sector. From 2013, she worked at the Wall Street Journal and at BBC Newsnight before rejoining the FT in 2021.