Meporter is a citizen journalist mobile phone

Mobile phone

A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...

 application that uses geolocation and multimedia to create hyperlocal, real-time news

News

News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...

. It allows users to post news with headlines, text, videos, and images using their smartphone

Smartphone

A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...

 to the Meporter database and to the Meporter website. Once logged in to Meporter, the user can select to have the story pinpointed on a map, which finds their location by GPS. When the story is uploaded, it is viewable by other meporters via their smartphone or the Meporter website. Meporters can also check into the story as an eyewitness and update it with more text, pics and videos. The name itself is a combination of the words “Me” and “Reporter.”

Meporters can select a standard news category for their story, including crime, business, nightlife, entertainment and others. Once a user starts posting stories they earn “Press Passes,” that are similar to Foursquare Badges, which can occasionally be exchanged for prizes.

Multimedia without Character Limits

Meporter is a multimedia based system that allows users to upload text, images, and videos to the events on meporter. Unlike other geolocation apps, Meporter does not have character limits on the text, so users can upload as much text as they deem necessary to the database. The Meporter development team also does not edit any of the user uploaded media on Meporter.

Press Passes

Meporter has a point system that awards “Press Passes” to individuals who upload content and meet certain criteria. If the participating business is involved with the Press Pass, they can offer prizes to Press Pass holders. For instance, Forbes Magazine offers a free 6 month subscription to meporters who post 10 stories to the business category.

Geolocation or Select Address

Although Meporter is based on geolocation, it allows users to select an alternative location of their choice when posting a story.

Partnerships and Events

Meporter launched in 2011 at The TechCrunch

TechCrunch

TechCrunch is a web publication that offers technology news and analysis, as well as profiling of startup companies, products, and websites. It was founded by Michael Arrington in 2005, and was first published on June 11, 2005....

 Disrupt Conference in New York City. It has since been featured on Fox Business Network

Fox Business Network

Fox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...

, The New York Times

The New York Times

The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

, The Washington Post

The Washington Post

The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...

 and The Huffington Post

The Huffington Post

The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...

. Meporter has partnered with several businesses, brands, and events including Forbes Magazine, The Vans Warped Tour, Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour, and Rockstar Mayhem Festival

Mayhem festival

The Mayhem Festival is a touring metal festival that takes place during the summer. The inaugural iteration took place in 2008; the festival has since become an annual event across the United States and Quebec, Canada. The tour has been sponsored by the Rockstar Energy Company since the time of its...

.

Availability

Meporter is currently available in iTunes as a free download for the iPhone and iPad. Android and Blackberry versions are scheduled to be released in 2011.

Competitors

Mobile apps that have similar features to Meporter include:

• iReport
• hereME!
• 360 News