In journalism, this decisive method is known as “establishing correlations.”īy leveraging satellite imagery, the old adage of “show, don’t tell” gets a whole new lease on life - especially when it comes to data sources. In the age of “fake news,” digitally edited footage and deepfakes, forensic analysis of detailed topographic imagery can be used to both confirm and deny doctored footage, to dismiss or verify footage that claims to be from a certain period of time or location, by observing everything from landmarks to time-telling shadows. Not only does real-time satellite imagery add a massive new pool of primary sources for journalists to pull from, it can often be used as a corroborating source. And that’s especially critical in a landscape where online junk data grows ever more viral, as it effectively and immediately builds credibility and transparency between a writer and their audience.

As visual primary sources that are also rich in data, satellite-produced images serve as vibrant records that empower journalists to establish the veracity of their work in a straightforward way. Satellite imagery not only serves as a reliable data source for journalists but oftentimes as an irreplaceable primary data source - meaning that the data is original and collected by the journalist firsthand rather than being conveyed by a secondary party. Images captured via satellite are more than just a strong visual storytelling aid (though they are certainly that too). Here’s how the democratization of satellite access is poised to change the journalistic landscape for the better. Previously used by production teams to transmit data and stories, satellite technology has long been one of those tools, but the ascendance of accessible, high-quality earth observation imaging will soon make satellites an absolute essential for strengthening vocational values, such as credibility and transparency.

Now, more than ever, journalists need powerful tools to combat the rising tides of “fake news” and ensure the ongoing availability of verifiable, objective and insightful reporting for everyone. Among a seemingly indecipherable hurricane of disinformation, declining media literacy, threats to press freedoms, the rapid and memetic spread of online info, and unprecedented propaganda campaigns, global journalism finds itself at a historic - and vital - crossroads.

Real time satellite imagery of my house