stingray327
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With all of the changes of freqs. and systems changing going on as well as encrytpion what will the news media do?
What kinds of scanners and equipment does the news media use?
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One thing that they depend on is social media. So does law enforcement.
stingray327
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Many will have arrangements with agencies for radios. IF an agency uses E its possible they will provide a radio for them to monitor a Dispatch channel with. Its all about location and agency. Some media play well with law enforcement some dont.
stingray327
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We don't have any options???
As other's have stated, some local mass media work well with their community first response element's, and may have a radio they can use. Often it monitors simulcast, or one single TalkGroup, and not SWAT or something like vice for example.
Across the nation, I have seen many mass media groups have a designated social media person. Many Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP's) also have a social media person, as do many statewide fusion centers. As for field monitoring by media personnel, I have seen many Uniden mobiles and handheld radios in use, often programmed by the crew running the van with the Nycoil and Wilburt mast attached to it. Uniden mobiles were BCT15/15X and 996 versions mostly. Many squad cars also have these as they are DIN sized and have a nearfield/Close Call receiver option for strong signals nearby that can be monitored.
In one case, Deepwater Horizon 2010, I even saw media attempting to use Motorola CDM1250 mobile radios after taking a tour of a staging site, and seeing those radios in use. However, they did not have them programmed for anything, and their displays were defaulted to "Channel 1" and obviously they could not hear anything.
Across the nation, I have seen many mass media groups have a designated social media person. Many Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP's) also have a social media person, as do many statewide fusion centers. As for field monitoring by media personnel, I have seen many Uniden mobiles and handheld radios in use, often programmed by the crew running the van with the Nycoil and Wilburt mast attached to it. Uniden mobiles were BCT15/15X and 996 versions mostly. Many squad cars also have these as they are DIN sized and have a nearfield/Close Call receiver option for strong signals nearby that can be monitored.
In one case, Deepwater Horizon 2010, I even saw media attempting to use Motorola CDM1250 mobile radios after taking a tour of a staging site, and seeing those radios in use. However, they did not have them programmed for anything, and their displays were defaulted to "Channel 1" and obviously they could not hear anything.
Mainly because crooks seem to have a need to brag about what they think they got away with...
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This is the site that gets quoted the most.
www.broadcastify.com
Broadcastify - Live Police, Fire, EMS, Aircraft, and Rail Audio Feeds
The world's largest source of public safety, aircraft, rail, and marine radio live audio streams
www.broadcastify.com
mmckenna
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We don't have any options???
It depends on the agency.
For an agency that has a single dispatch channel, you can ~sometimes~ get them to stream the radio traffic with a delay. Key word is sometimes. It costs money to run those systems, and not all agencies have interest in providing that service to the general public.
Some agencies will issue a radio, or rent a radio to a legit news agency. Not general public, but reputable news sources (not bob's facebook page). This is useful if the agency is running encrypted. By loaning or renting the radio, the agency still owns it and can brick it if it goes missing. It also allows them to rekey it if the encryption codes get rolled.
For a large agency (Like S.F.), they'll have numerous channels, many with encryption. The equipment necessary to stream that to the public gets expensive and requires someone to maintain. You likely won't get access to everything.
As for social media and other ways to disseminate info to the public, that serves a much wider slice of the population. Not everyone has a scanner, and an agency catering to scanner hobbyists isn't very common. By using social media, they can reach a lot more people and control what info is released when. That's a much more attractive solution for some agencies.
Here in the Phx area the media has the same scanners that we do, usually the latest models but not always as budgets do play a part. They also utilize social media, scanner / notification groups, and PIO's. I have been in a few news rooms and seen the desk with multiple of the same scanner setup for scanning various departments. Had the chore a number of years ago of helping program a few since they were complaining that they could never hear what they wanted to, but even with a properly programed scanner they aren't always aware of what they are hearing so that is where the other sources come into play.
at one of the network owned stations in market #5 the assignment desk has a few scanners and half a dozen mobiles provided by the larger city PS departments. That's how they monitor the encrypted stuff. They installed discones/scanners in half a dozen spots in the market and route the signals via www to the desk computer. With all that, they constantly listen to something local on Broadcastify. The 800 mhz radio system is rarely used...the old 450 repeater is only used to talk to the "for hire" chopper they work with. The ENG camera folks don't have scannners in their cars, save for one fellow. The guys/gals on the desk are all long time employees and have perfected listening to ten different radios, the phone and the news director all at the same time.
W0JOG
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As a media journalist brought up in what now appear to have been the Golden Days of media journalism, the 1940-1960 era, we did none of the above to assure that what we knew was truth not propaganda or opinion; we learned the frequencies and the modulation forms, and the home-made "10 signals" or equivalent codes of our sources, ON OUR OWN. We did not look to the sources of so-called news for the truth. And we didn't spend our time in the warm and cozy "news room" on our behinds waiting for handouts.
"If you can't verify it independently on your own, or through at least one other well known and independent source, you don't have a story."
We also knew how to read and write. And worked hard at not having an ego.
But that was so, so long, looongg ago.
Vern M.
"If you can't verify it independently on your own, or through at least one other well known and independent source, you don't have a story."
We also knew how to read and write. And worked hard at not having an ego.
But that was so, so long, looongg ago.
Vern M.
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The local stations here in Miami have abandoned scanners and "the guy" on the desk that listens to them. There's just too much to keep up within a metro area of 5 million-plus (Miami-Fort Lauderdale) with systems, programming, different on-air codes, and of course range since the 4 main news stations are spread out in the area. The news vans depending on crews keep their own personal handhelds. I know a couple of cameramen with BCD325P2's
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As a former assignment editor (Sacramento market) we used a combination of Motorola radios purchased by the station and programmed by the regional radio system managers as well as multiple scanners on the assignment desk. At the last station I worked for (Cincinnati market) they had a Rangecast system installed that really didn't work that well. I also know of several stations that are now using the SDR based system from Alert Page and it seems to work okay but in my opinion could be optimized a little better for newsroom applications.
Broadcastify is actually very common now a days. Some use solutions utilizing Unidens, providing a web interface, but there are just not so many things they can receive in their areas. So Broadcastify is more common. But they use many other sources, including social media and things like that.
iMONITOR
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Social media? That doesn't do us hobbyists any good from the standpoint of monitoring.
Most if not all information/news on social media today is very biased and/or fake.
iMONITOR
Silent Key
Michigan considered that when they first went digital, but I don't think it ever happened or if it did it was on a very limited basis.
iMONITOR
Silent Key
And their egos and stupidity help PD to track them down and make for an open & shut case in court. As good as a confession if not better!
iMONITOR
Silent Key
Only problem is they can edit the information and reduce transparency.
additionally since most media outlets are owned by corporations (instead of independents) they can add their own spin to the news in a way that will further their own agenda (like making more profit).
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