How Journalists Can Use Transcription Services and Speech to Text

As a journalist, the number of audio recordings of interviews and meetings you have is probably piling up.

Instead of listening to them on loop and transcribing them yourself, have you considered using transcription services to get all the information you need down on paper? There are both professional human transcription services and speech-to-text software available to get this done.

No matter how you decide to do it, you want to ensure you get a secure and high-quality transcript that can help save you time and effort without compromising any of the sensitive information you have.

So how can you get started?

1. Protect your sources

Data security is a huge concern. With big data breaches happening every few months, you need to be protected. As a journalist, you need to take extra measures to ensure that your stories are kept exclusive and the identity of sources protected. Picking a secure transcription service requires a little digging, but nothing too hard or time-consuming. Here are a few key indicators of security to look out for:

ISO accreditations

Firstly, ISO 27001 & 9001 accreditations ensure that the transcription service has gone through a thorough third-party formal assessment. ISO 27001 is focused on information security management while ISO 9001 is about general management systems. Together, they form the basis of professional data handling which offers you more peace of mind.

Encryption

Then there’s HTTPS, a protocol used for secure communications over the internet. If the website address bar shows HTTPS, then you know that any information transfers across that website are encrypted. However, you also want to look into how your data is shared and stored on their end. Look out for the use of SSL or TLS encrypted log-in portals and storage protocols.

NDAs and internal enforcement

You should also think about who is transcribing your data. Get an NDA signed as standard practice. But not every transcription service provider has the same ability to internally enforce those best practices. If the company off-shores their transcribers to contractors all over the world, it can be hard for them to guarantee confidentiality, or prosecute violations. Look for transcription services that keep their transcribers in-house and operate in jurisdictions with high data protection standards.

Risks for human transcription services and ASR (automatic speech recognition)

Make sure that you look into all of these data protection standards for both ASR and human-based services. Particularly with an NDA, people sometimes assume that with speech-to-text software there is no risk because no one will listen to your recording. However, this isn’t necessarily true. For example, recordings can be used for quality cross-check purposes. If you don’t have guarantees about how your data will be used after the transcript is delivered, you leave yourself open to risk.

2. Get the quality/cost ratio right for your transcription needs (ASR vs human transcription services)

If you’re going to pay for a transcription, then you’ll want to ensure that it’s a quality transcript. However, it’s important to keep in mind that a better service comes at a greater cost. The big divide is between speech-to-text software and transcripts produced by hand.

ASR typically struggles to deliver accuracy rates above 80%. When confronted with poor-quality audio, complex language or multiple speakers, this figure quickly deteriorates. However, ASR services are far cheaper than human options — some are even free.

If you do pay for speech-to-text software, it generally won’t be more than 10p per minute. Human transcription services regularly cost £2 per minute, sometimes more. What you get, however, are 99%+ accuracy guarantees, far more flexibility in handling complex audio and options around the type of transcript you get delivered.

You need to think about how much time you have to invest in cleaning up a transcript, what level of accuracy you require and how much control you need over the final output. If you invest in something that doesn’t meet your transcription needs, it will always be overpriced, and you will end up spending more time or money trying to fix the end result

3. Pick the right kind of transcript

With human transcription services, you get a number of options around the type of transcript that is delivered. Along with accuracy, this is a primary reason these more expensive services are used. Different companies use different terms. However, there are 3 basic categories you need to understand:

• Full-Verbatim transcripts capture every nuance of an audio file including pauses, repetitions, interruptions, false starts and more. This usually comes at an extra fee, but you can even capture tones, pauses and laughter. Under most circumstances, this is too much detail, and it produces a transcript that is hard to read. However, if you need the detail, make sure to ask for full-verbatim.
• Verbatim transcripts (also called intelligent verbatim or clean verbatim) are essentially full-verbatim but cleaned up so that excesses are removed (like false starts, stutters or ‘ums’) leaving you with a clean and readable transcription. This is the industry standard and should be your default choice — they cost less and are quick to review without losing quotable detail.
• Detailed Notes take the editing of verbatim transcripts further — summarising some points and removing off-topic conversation entirely. This is the cheapest form of transcript and the fastest to read — however, at the cost of full context and detail.

It’s worth mentioning that you can pay extra for things like timestamps and speaker identification, which can make your transcript even more clear and easy to read. Make sure to select these options if you need them.

Rushed transcripts

As a journalist, it’s vital to work quickly so that you can be one of the first to write a piece on a new topic or urgent news. Speech-to-text software can provide a quick and sometimes instant transcript that you will have to review to ensure it is accurate.

Thanks to speedy transcription services that offer rush orders, you can receive a fully-transcribed audio recording that is accurate in a short amount of time. Some services even have turnaround times of 12 hours if you’re under a tight deadline!

This will save you a lot of time and effort, so if you’re willing to pay a bit extra, you can focus on your work and deliver a compelling piece of writing without worrying about transcribing an audio recording.

Budget transcription services

If you’re on a budget, then you’ll be glad to know that transcriptions can be relatively affordable. There are many free speech-to-text software packages that can give you a rough transcript, but the quality is generally very low and you’ll need to revise it yourself at least once to get an accurate transcript.

With human transcription services, cutting costs can be harder — but it’s not impossible. If you’re not in a hurry, then most transcription services offer discounts for no-rush orders. While the amount of time taken to fully transcribe the file is a lot less predictable, if you’re willing to wait for up to two weeks, it can save you a lot of money in the long run.

You can also choose to pay for verbatim or detailed notes if you don’t need the detail of full-verbatim transcripts. Some companies offer loyalty rewards for returning clients or bulk orders. Planning ahead is the main key to cutting costs without sacrificing quality.

Research your options to get the transcript you need

As you can see, there are a number of ways for a journalist to take advantage of transcription services to work more efficiently. Whether you choose to use human-based services or speech-to-text software to get the transcript you need, it can help save you time and effort.

If you want to make the most of a transcription service and ensure you get high-quality transcripts quickly and at a reasonable price, then it’s important to research the options available in order to get the best deal.

This article should get you on the right path to getting accurate and quality transcripts for your needs, but if you want to learn more about transcription services, our Ultimate Guide to Transcription Services is perfect for you!