IRE chat: Kat McGrory on how politics can influence COVID-19 data

For decades, Florida medical examiners have released a list of statewide deaths, including recent deaths attributed to the COVID-19 virus. After the Tampa Bay Times wrote a story pointing out that the medical examiners’ list was about 10 percent larger than the list touted by the state department of health, which uses a different method to tally COVID-19 deaths, the public was blocked from seeing the medical examiners’ list — a longstanding public record. Listen to this interview to hear what happened next and pick up some tips on navigating the politics of this data in your market.