“Mission statement: The National Court Reporters Association promotes excellence among those who capture and convert the spoken word to text and is committed to supporting every member in achieving the highest level of professional expertise.”
Do you know what’s missing? Stenographers.
WTF!!! This mission statement could be said to envision a future – or at least a future association – TOTALLY WITHOUT STENOGRAPHIC SHORTHAND REPORTERS.
Don’t digi’s also capture and convert the spoken word to text by running their audios through AI?
Don’t voice writers capture and convert the spoken word to text by running their audios through AI?
Don’t videographers capture and convert the spoken word to text by running their audios through AI?
When did this officially become NCRA’S Mission Statement? Under what board of directors? Did the board of directors actually know that they were approving this as an official mission statement? Or did the executive director have it buried in the 8-inch board book so that it was (negligently?) missed and approved by consent? Because, you know, Board of Directors, that you are required to know everything that is in that damn book.
At least one 1-800 is sending the following out to every one of their clients: “Capture technology continues to advance and [we] will always provide the service best suited to your requirements. We encourage you to update language on all proceeding notices to reflect all possibilities.
“Example language you might use is: ‘YOU ARE NOTIFIED that we reserve the right to record the proceeding by stenographic means or by utilizing digital audio recording equipment or any other alternative methods of capture.’”
“Capture” is the new word.
And you know what’s really been “captured”? NCRA!
All of us here at WUNCRA think that we smell a rat. It seems way too coincidental that NCRA and a 1-800 have put all of their focus on the word “capture”? Does it make you wonder if any side deals are going on?
In our opinion, it is time for a new executive director that will not work behind the scenes to undermine the profession of stenographic reporting while they are paid over 300 grand a year* by membership (US!) to do it.
WAKE UP, NCRA!
FRANK N. SENSE
*Thank you, again, for sending in the information on the 2022 IRS Form 990 filings.
P.S. Please send this to every stenographer that you know so that they know to Vote NO! to voice writers and videographers becoming full-fledged VOTING MEMBERS of our association – NCRA – on July 16, 2026.
P.P.S. Please sign up to receive these WUNCRA posts. We DO NOT share emails or any information with anyone – EVER.