Using Data Analytics as a Source for Change

If knowledge is power, then the vast knowledge contained in big data is powerful enough to change the world.

But simply harnessing bits and bytes into tidy tables or whizbang algorithms won’t move the needle on progress. Companies, organizations, and researchers must view the data through a social, political, and cultural lens if they want to solve problems.

That’s what global data and analytics research firm Nielsen did with its recent report on the state of inclusion and representation in television programming in the U.S. The study, titled “Being Seen on Screen: Diverse Representation and Inclusion on TV,” pointed out that while women make up 52% of the U.S. population, they only have a 38% share of screen. The numbers are even lower for women of color.

“Critically important is not just if diversity is present, but how it is present,” noted Jamie Moldafsky, chief marketing and communications officer for Nielsen and a Wharton graduate.