Pocket Reporter: A News Editor in your Pocket

Meet Pocket Reporter: a new, free Android app for journalists, activists and anyone interested in storytelling. It’s available for Android mobile devices in the Google Play store.

Pocket Reporter acts as a news editor in your pocket to guide you through the newsgathering process. Its easy-to-use templates for different types of stories pose a series of questions to make sure you gather all the information you need to report your story accurately.

Just choose your story type, give it a name, and fill in the answers in the box below each question. It’s that simple.

Capturing your information directly in the app keeps all your notes, quotes and other details in one easily accessible place. Information is also recorded in a logical storytelling sequence that makes writing your story easier.

Don’t worry if you can’t answer a question, your story is always saved in the My Stories archive. This helps to identify gaps in your story early on to spot where you need to source additional information or quotes.

Out of data? You don’t need an Internet connection to use Pocket Reporter, as everything you need is in the app and can be used offline. Just go ahead and answer the questions as usual and email it to yourself or your editor when you’re back online.

Don’t forget to check for updates from time to time for upgraded features and new story templates.

Pocket Reporter is inspired by Virtual Reporter, a website originally developed 20 years ago by former Cape Times managing editor Kanthan Pillay and former Cape Times news editor Colin Howell. Their website was, in turn, based on a book, the Reporter’s Checkbook and Notebook, by Melvin Mencher.

Click here to download Pocket Reporter or search for “Pocket Reporter” in the Google Play store. It is currently only available for Android mobile devices.

Pocket Reporter was developed as a partnership between Code for South Africa and the Association of Independent Publishers.

What stories will you write?