NewsBeat

February 2016 NewsBeat 13 Digital ads, learning to love print again T he digital arena has been deeply confusing for both advertisers and publishers. At first, we thought it was just like print — so we ripped out static ads from print publications and pasted them on people's screens as banner ads. Then we decided that it was just like TV, so we made people watch commercials (or pieces of them) before we could see the content — just like a TV timeout at a football game. It turns out that the public didn't react much to either, because the digital realm isn't like other places that advertisers were used to. It is much more dynamic than print and much more intimate than TV. People get to direct and customize much of their digital experience — looking at what they want to look at, when they want to look at it, and with whom they want to look at it. In that same vein, it has proven hard to make people look at digital ads. You have to get them to want to look at them. The good news is that the advertising industry is experimenting like crazy and slowly coming up with more ads that people want to look at all the time. I fully expect that by the end of 2016 we will see many more advertisers and news organizations coming out and saying: "We finally have digital ads that are driving big revenue!" But it won't all be about a digital future. I also predict that there will be a new and growing appreciation for the power and value of print advertising. Sir Martin Sorrell says it's true. The simple fact is that no matter how cool the digital realm is, print is still an awesome technology that does something almost magical in our high-speed world: It keeps people engaged. Print is again going to attract advertisers who are willing to say: "I don't care about being cool. I want to drive big sales at a good price." — David Chavern is president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America. By DAVID CHAVERN Free police scanner apps useful tool for reporters P olice scanners are key for keeping up with the many crimes and incidents that occur daily. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars, you can download free apps with even more capabilities than standard police scanners. Reporters could greatly benefit from having a police scanner right at their fingertips anytime and anywhere. There are several apps available with the same basic functions. Some features include: timers to start and stop stations, chat rooms and GPS to locate feeds. Here are a few free police scanner apps: Police Scanner+ Free (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ policescanner+-free/id498408628?mt= 8) is an app made for the iPhone. It allows you to browse weather, police, EMS, fire, railroad and radio tations by popularity or location. This app allows you to search scanners in 37 South Carolina counties, as well as other states and other countries. 5-0 Radio Police Scanner (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/5-0-radio- police-scanner/id356336433?mt=8) is another iPhone app, which broadcasts live police, fire, aircraft, railroad, marine and emergency radio stations. This app features a map that finds where the scanner feed is. This app includes a table of frequently used codes, which is great for reporters with little experience with police codes. Scanner Radio (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id= com.scannerradio&hl=en) is an app designed for Android phones. It locates radio stations through GPS and includes aviation, marine, amateur radio, disaster event and public safety channels. This app can send notifications to the user's phone when there are a certain number of listeners to a single station. With more people tuning in to the station, this is a great feature for breaking news. "I became a journalist to come as close as possible to the heart of the world." — Henry Luce Reprinted from FishbowlNY "Print is again going to attract advertisers who are willing to say: 'I don't care about being cool. I want to drive big sales at a good price.'" Free apps for police scanners are available for your smart phone. They can be useful for finding breaking news stories. By JENNIFER FAULKNER

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