Court Reporting in the Age of Digital

Court reporting in the age of digital means we’re reaching within as well as outside the legal field to help our clients. While courtrooms are digitizing, technology hasn’t advanced to the point that reporters aren’t needed. In fact, we’re needed more than ever especially with a shortage of more than 5,000 reporters on the horizon.

Court Reporting Trends

According to the Ducker Worldwide Court Reporting Industry Outlook Report, “the opportunity for new stenographic court reporters is substantial over the next five years.” More than 45 states are implementing digital recording of proceedings on certain types of cases but technology isn’t the same as human interaction. We’re still needed to review and finalize transcriptions especially when people have talked over each other or used non-words like um or uh-huh.

Court Reporter Shortage

The shortage has meant that in rural areas there may only be one reporter per county or they’re bringing in freelance reporters to do the work once done in-house. Looking to the future, we could face the same in urban and suburban markets like Pittsburgh if we’re not attracting new reporters to the field using blogs, social media, press releases, and testimonials.

Outside the Courtroom

We’re excited about the use of social media and other online venues for spreading the word about opportunities in this profession but we’re also excited about closed captioning outside the legal field.

When was the last time you attended a professional sporting event? You may have noticed closed captioning offered for the deaf and hard of hearing. And for those of us who need guidance while watching the game, captioning helps us understand what’s happening. Teams like the New York Mets and Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and special events like the Super Bowl, are seeking our services.

Not only that but courts are ruling for streaming sites like Amazon Prime, YouTube, and most recently Hulu, to offer closed captioning for all movies and television shows they offer. In the case of Hulu, they must also offer captioning in Spanish so if you’re a reporter who is bilingual, there are even more opportunities for you!

As digital marketing grows in importance, businesses are turning to us to transcribe and caption their live seminars and webinars, videos, and other events.

To say that it’s an exciting time to be a court reporter in the digital age is an understatement!

If you’re interested in learning more, contact us today!

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