BBC journalists? There'll soon be an iPhone app for them

It will enable journalists to file video, photos and audio reports from locations over 3G.

The BBC is developing an iPhone app for its journalists to file stories from the field. It's due to be made available within the next month, and could even be used to broadcast live over 3G.

"Reporters have been using smart phones for a while now but it was never good quality. You might do it when there was a really important story," the BBC's head of operations for newsgathering Martin Turner tells Journalism.co.uk.

"Now it is beginning to be a realistic possibility to use iPhones and other devices for live reporting, and in the end if you've got someone on the scene then you want to be able to use them. That capability is a really important one."

News broadcasters have been using cameraphone footage for years, particularly when submitted by the public around big events (and particularly natural disasters). However, kitting journalists out with an app to submit video, photos and audio is a step on.

The app may also tie into the Lucy Live software used by the Beeb for live broadcasting, meaning journalists will be able to stream live video from their iPhone to the nation via 3G.