ShotCast Improves Media Coverage of Gun Violence

Here at SoundThinking, we understand the importance of transparency and informing the public of gunfire incidents in their neighborhoods, which is why we’ve introduced ShotCast to expedite and simplify the process. A ShotCast is a video summary report of a shooting incident detected by ShotSpotter that is suitable for sharing with broadcast or other news media outlets. ShotCast can improve media coverage of gun violence, and when incorporated into a broader law enforcement agency communication strategy, it can also help educate the public, increase awareness about the impact of gun violence, and promote community engagement in public safety.

How a ShotCast Transforms Media Coverage of Gunfire

Gunfire graphics used in media coverage of gun violence have historically been vague and lacking in context.  See an example below:

ShotCast improves upon the gunfire graphics currently in use by news media by providing additional context, detail, and mapping that can be easily interpreted by viewers. ShotCast video summaries include the actual gunfire audio as well as key details (location, time, and more) of the incident, presented in a high-quality multimedia graphic that can be incorporated into various types of news coverage.

ShotCast is available within ShotSpotter’s InSight application at no charge to existing customers. News media located in areas where ShotSpotter is deployed will be able to request the graphics through their respective local PIOs.

“The newly released ShotCast feature to ShotSpotter demonstrates our continued innovation and commitment to transparency,” said Ralph Clark, CEO of SoundThinking. “By sharing gunfire incident details more quickly and accurately, our law enforcement partners can continue to build trust with the communities they serve. An informed public will have increased awareness of the plague of gun violence and we believe this will help create more citizen engagement and collaboration in addressing gun violence.”