📊👋Storybench signs off (for now): stories, systems and what comes next

Hey there, Benchies!

Journalism is constantly evolving, shaped by new tools, new challenges and new ways of telling stories. This edition brings together examples of that shift, from visualizing complex systems to capturing everyday lives.

As this chapter of the newsletter comes to a close, these stories offer a glimpse of what continues to move the field forward.

Let’s dive in!

Here is our featured content this week:

📊🤖 Making Trillions Make Sense: How Reuters Visualized the AI Economy 

Reuters breaks down the scale of the global AI economy using clear, accessible visuals. The project shows where money is flowing and how different sectors are shaping the market. Read this strong example of making abstract financial data easier to follow.  

📰✨Emily Sweeney is a “stah” 

Boston Globe columnist Emily Sweeney is known for her deeply reported, people-first stories. Her work often centers on everyday lives across the city, bringing a strong sense of place to her reporting. It’s a reminder of the impact of local, community-driven journalism. Check out the latest conversation with Auden Oakes 

Cool Stuff Corner: What are we reading?

💻⚠️ California colleges spend millions on faulty AI systems 

Several California colleges have invested in AI chatbots that students say are outdated and unreliable. The systems have raised concerns about accuracy, transparency and how these tools are being used in education. It points to the risks of rolling out AI without proper oversight. Read here

👖📊What do your pants reveal about your age?

This interactive looks at how Gen Z, millennials and boomers differ in what they wear. Focusing on pants, it shows how fashion choices reflect broader generational identities. The visuals make it easy to compare styles across age groups. Know where you belong? Try it out!

Did you know?💡

If staying focused feels harder than it used to, you’re not alone. Teachers say students are struggling with attention spans and are turning to shorter lessons, movement and interactive activities to keep them engaged. Many say the shift has become more noticeable since the pandemic and the rise of short-form content. Sneak peek into how William Werner, a teacher from Toledo, Ohio handles this

From the Vault 🏛️

🗺️📈 How to map point data and polygon shapefiles in R

This tutorial by the pioneer of Storybench - Aleszu Bajak, walks through how to map geographic data in R using point data and polygon shapefiles. It covers importing data, layering maps and customizing outputs. A helpful guide for turning spatial data into clear visuals

📸🌍Through Lynn Johnson’s Lens: Visual Storytelling, National Geographic and the Future of Long-Form Photojournalism  

Lynn Johnson’s work with National Geographic shows the power of long-form visual storytelling. Her approach focuses on time, access and building trust with subjects. It highlights how photojournalism continues to evolve in a digital-first environment.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK📸

This week’s newsletter feels a little different. As I hit publish, I’m reflecting on what this past year has meant to me.

I’ve been incredibly grateful to work with Storybench as a graduate student at Northeastern’s School of Journalism. Serving as newsletter editor has been an opportunity I’ll always carry with me, one that taught me, challenged me and shaped how I think about storytelling.

It’s never really goodbye, just a see you later. Here’s to building on everything this experience has given me and stepping into a new chapter.

Until next time,
Vivica Dsouza
Storybench Newsletter Editor

That's all we've got for this week! Thanks for reading, and let us know if there's anything you'd like to see in these newsletters or in our coverage at [email protected].

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