Today’s journalists are seeing a change in the way they collect information to report quickly. Assignment Editor Bill Decker and Assistant News Director Eric Nazarenus at WGAL-TV, News 8, in Lancaster shared evolving tools reporters can use to enhance stories. Crime and fire scanners Mobile site
- Broadcastify – live police, fire, EMS, aircraft and railroad scanner. News stations can record audio directly from the site in any state and county.
Mobile apps
- Police Scanner+ & 5-0 Radio Police Scanner – free mobile apps giving reporters access to the same information as box police scanners.
“Even when you’re in the car, you should be gathering news.” -Bill Decker
On social media Facebook and Twitter
- Take advantage of police and fire departments’ posts, photos and press releases.
- Search for municipalities’ social media platforms to find specific posts about times, dates and places where incidents occur.
Photo and video converters
- clipconverter.cc & downvids.net – free websites that help reporters convert public YouTube clips and Facebook posts for easier on-air use. Prevents reporters from having to take a video off a computer screen.
- sendthisfile.com – a video converter to send videos from one location to another; eliminates the need for satellite trucks during on-site reporting
“This makes every journalist a mobile newsroom now.” -Eric Nazarenus
Court documents and criminal records
- LexisNexis – Paid website allowing users to search for anything from property and criminal records to items citizens have purchased.
- ujsportal.pacourts.us – Free website providing specifics on criminal cases, including charges, where trials are held, the judge on the trial and case status
