Deena Zaidi


Data Journalist

Hi!

A data journalist with over 10 years of writing and reporting experience. I’ve had the pleasure of working for a local news paper in Seattle for about 2.5 years, after which I worked as a data visual journalist around two years in a leading broadcast news room in Canada.

I’ve written a wide range of stories— from hidden COVID-19 fatalities and rising Omicron numbers to immigration backlogs to soaring inflation and real estate markets. I am comfortable with mapping tools and have created multimedia interactives through ESRI’s GIS interface. These stories included “50 Years Later: Expulsion from Uganda” and “Canadian Urban Skies Turn Lethal for Migratory Birds“.

Prior to CTVNews, I wrote data-driven stories for, Seattle’s Puget Sound Business Journal (PSBJ)—one of the 44 markets of American City Business Journals. I also maintained the database for the local market which were published as weekly lists. The role involved fact-checking and in-depth research through surveys and phone calls. These lists ranked regional businesses on different metrics and were eventually compiled into the Annual Book of Lists.

Early in my career, I wrote extensively for various digital publications such as TheStreet.com, VentureBeat, Seeking Alpha, BuzzFeed, and Truthout with bylines in Reuters, Yahoo Finance, and MSN Money. I’ve authored a working paper on “The role of credit rating agencies in the Eurozone debt crisis” for Global Credit Review at the University of Singapore.

As a data journalist, I am always keen to look at the investigative side of stories where data is fundamental. My strength lies in data-driven stories that look beyond the numbers published in public records. I have solid experience in data analytics, with experience in mapping and creating interactive visuals.

I have an MSc. in International Banking and Finance from the University of Durham, England, and an MBA in Finance from ICFAI Business School, India. I hold a certificate in Data Analytics from Northeastern University and have been a part of a data bootcamp hosted by Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. (IRE) in Seattle.

Feel free to browse through my portfolio.

stories written

years of experience

words written

Tag: instagram

  • The Power Of ‘Social Ratings’ …and the stressful addiction of ‘being Liked.’

    The Power Of ‘Social Ratings’ …and the stressful addiction of ‘being Liked.’

    The dystopian future showcases our desire to stay connected to technology which eventually disconnects us from the ‘real’ world. TV shows often attempt to capture the imaginary depictions of the futuristic world. But while many have failed to completely showcase the tech addiction, a few may have ‘just about’ succeeded in capturing the chilling resemblance…

  • Instagram Disrupts Snap by cloning most of its features

    Instagram Disrupts Snap by cloning most of its features

    In April 2012, Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) acquired 18-month-old Instagram, which had only 30 million users and no revenue. At that time, $1 billion worth of deal seemed too big for a small startup like Instagram. But years later, the photo filter app boasts of having more than 600 million users and is proving to be a…