Parliament transcription: Follow debates and council meetings live

Transcribing a live debate

Sessions are usually aired on a parliamentary channel or the institution’s own site. You can bring in the audio these ways:

1. Under New transcript, press Pick from list to search for the channel. Addresses in the list are tested regularly, and you can request a missing one in the same window.
2. If you have the stream’s m3u8 address, paste it into the field.
3. If the session is on a platform, follow the steps for live stream transcription.
4. Check that Tell speakers apart is on under Settings, and start.

If the stream does not allow it, use tab audio, which needs a Chromium-based browser on a computer. Sessions run long. For a transcript open for hours, keep the device plugged in, and if it falls behind choose a lighter model.

City and town council meetings

Rules on openness vary by country, so check your own. In Turkey, Article 20 of the Municipalities Law says council meetings are open, a majority of those present can vote for a closed session on a reasoned proposal, and meetings may be recorded by decision of the council. It does not mention live streaming, so whether there is a stream differs from council to council.

• With a stream: Transcribe the council’s YouTube or Facebook stream from its platform link.
• Without one: Attend and use the microphone with real time transcription. Keep the phone near the speakers, and ask about a feed from the room’s sound system.
• Posted later: Transcribe the video afterwards, and use timecodes to do only the agenda item you need.

For a council story, the written decision is the main source. Take what was said from the transcript and the result of the vote from the decision.

Naming the speakers

Many people speak through the same microphones in a session, and the chair interrupts often. Telling speakers apart tries to separate voices but does not recognise people. You see labels first, and you give them names. Once you name a speaker, that speaker’s paragraphs show the name.

• The chair usually gives the floor by name, which is a good cue for naming.
• Correct a wrong name as soon as you see it; the rest of the text keeps coming in.
• It can merge similar voices or split one person into two. In the second case, merge the speakers.

Check who said what from the video or audio before you publish. Attributing a remark to the wrong member is a heavier mistake than mishearing a word.

Checking against the record

Before you publish or update, look at:

1. Numbers and bill numbers: Among the things automatic text gets wrong most.
2. Names: Verify members, ministers and agencies against an official list.
3. Direct quotes: From the record if it is out, otherwise by listening to the stream.
4. Interjections: Do not quote overlapping speech from the transcript. If you cannot tell who said what by ear either, wait for the record.

For turning a speech into a story see writing a news story from a transcript, and for news channels see live TV transcription.