The inspiration for a Wagga son’s revolutionary news app came from an unlikely series of events.
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After more than three decades in media, former Daily Advertiser cadet Adam Walters was growing tired of the daily grind. He’d spent decades working for the Seven and Nine networks in the cutthroat metropolitan news industry, an environment he described as “State of Origin 365 nights a year”.
But a trip to Europe, a lost credit card and a couple of Uber drivers inspired Mr Walters to create NewsCar, a business he will soon take to the United States, where he will pitch it to major TV networks for use from New York to Los Angeles.
Unlikely start
“I’d left my credit card in a London hotel,” Mr Walters said.
“We were on our way to Paris and I ordered an Uber to go and pick up my card for me. When I got to Paris I ordered another Uber and got an email from my dad – chuffed that he was in a Google streetview image – and when we got to the Eiffel Tower it started snowing and I started filming it on my phone.”
That’s when the penny dropped. Smartphones with GPS and cameras, carried by on-demand drivers all over the world. Wouldn’t it be amazing if news organisations had a live view of the world?
What’s NewsCar?
The NewsCar app will allow TV networks to instantly contact users near news events, whether accidents or crime scenes, as they respond to the intense competition for local footage in the 24/7 news cycle.
Drivers then use the Newscar app on their phones to take high-resolution vision of the scenes and receive instant payment from the networks after uploading the content.
The app is the first of its kind and differentiates itself from citizen journalism companies, such as Fresco and Newzulu, where people upload footage that networks can purchase, by only responding to specific demands from newsrooms.
Fertile soil
“After 36 years in the game I had deep soil where the idea could be planted,” Mr Walters said.
“There’s still a big demand for this breaking news content because there’s intense competition to be first.
“We’re harnessing resources and giving networks the best possible first response by blending social media speed with branded-news credibility.”
NewsCar has a “pro” feature for freelancers and there’s even talk of a “fleet” version for use by networks themselves, but non-professional users can expect to make about $200 from NewsCar depending on the footage and the hours involved.