Good Tape for journalism
Summary
- Good Tape was created with investigative journalists at Zetland to solve one of the profession’s most frustrating bottlenecks: transcription.
- Journalists worldwide from freelancers to editors and broadcast correspondents use Good Tape to transcribe.
- Subtitles (SRT files), speaker labels, and 100+ language support make it a powerful tool for global reporting.
- Case studies from Taiwan, Denmark, China, and the Netherlands highlight real-world impact: hours saved, better workflows and collaboration.
Never transcribe manually again
Journalism lives on speed and accuracy. Every story begins with raw words spoken in interviews, press conferences, and live events. Those words must be captured, fact-checked, and shaped into clear, compelling narratives. But one part of that process has always slowed journalists down: transcription.
Manual transcription is time-consuming and tedious. A single 1-hour interview can take 6–8 hours to type out. For a journalist covering multiple stories a week, that means days lost to repetitive typing. For newsrooms, it means wasted budgets and delayed deadlines.
Made with journalists for journalists
Good Tape was designed to change that. Built in collaboration with Zetland’s award-winning investigative journalists, the tool started as a prototype in 2022 and quickly became indispensable in one of Denmark’s most innovative newsrooms. From there, it spread first across Europe, then worldwide.
Today, journalists from Copenhagen to Taipei to Amsterdam rely on Good Tape to save time, stay accurate, and focus on what really matters: the story.
Newsrooms globally trust Good Tape
From local outlets to national broadcasters, journalists use our tool to transcribe interviews, press conferences, and field recordings in minutes.
With EU based security, no training on user data, and transcripts they can trust, editors and reporters know their conversations stay protected while their workflow gets faster and sharper.
Trusted by the people who do not trust tech
Good Tape protects every file with strict security. We never train AI models on your recordings, never share data with third parties, and store everything encrypted on EU servers.
Your files are automatically deleted unless you choose to keep them, giving journalists and their sources the privacy they need.
Transcription your EIC can actually trust
Journalists globally use Good Tape for secure and accurate transcription
Case study: Meet Bin
The challenge
Bin Chen has spent nearly a decade reporting across Europe for international broadcasters and media companies. Based in Copenhagen, he manages the European Correspondence Office for Shanghai Media Group, covering everything from politics in Brussels to cultural stories in Berlin and Madrid.
His work is demanding in two ways: it is fast and it is multilingual.
- Covering summits like the G20 or G7 means speaking to people in English, German, French, and more.
- As a correspondent, he cannot afford errors, quotes must be precise.
Manual transcription was slow and inefficient, often delegated to interns who hated the task as much as he once did.
The turning point
Good Tape offered Bin something no other tool could: multi-language transcription and translation in one workflow. He could ask questions in English, receive answers in French, then upload the recording and get the transcript back in Mandarin or English. He could also transcribe a mix of interviews from a big event and unify them into one target language and export SRT files directly for broadcasters who needed separate subtitle tracks.
The results
The change was immediate:
- Time saved: hours of transcription work reduced to minutes.
- Accuracy preserved: multilingual interviews transcribed with confidence.
- Client workflows simplified: SRT files delivered alongside video without extra steps.
For Bin, Good Tape is not just about convenience. It is about staying competitive as a global correspondent. When events move fast, he cannot be stuck typing. He needs transcripts he can trust, in languages that allow him to deliver stories quickly and confidently.
Now with Good Tape, I will never transcribe manually again. It is easy, affordable, and it saves so much time.
Case study: Meet Christine
The challenge
As a freelance journalist, Christine Lee works without the safety net of a newsroom. Every assignment depends on her ability to research, interview, and deliver on time.
That means efficiency is everything.
- Before Good Tape, transcription meant hours of late-night typing after interviews.
- Without interns or assistants, she carried the full load herself.
- Deadlines often felt tighter because transcription ate into writing time.
The turning point
With Good Tape, Christine found relief:
- Record the interview.
- Upload to Good Tape.
- Receive a complete transcript in minutes.
The process is so simple that it became routine. Instead of wasting hours, she can now spend that time crafting her stories.
The results
Christine also sees the ripple effect in her community. Fellow freelancers rely on Good Tape to balance heavy workloads. Peers describe it as a “before and after” moment in their careers. For journalists working without newsroom support, Good Tape levels the playing field.
I can never go back to doing transcription myself. Good Tape is time-saving, effort-saving, and it makes the job sustainable.
Case study: Meet Jeppe
The challenge
In the Netherlands, editor Jeppe Kleingeld covers finance and mergers & acquisitions, a field where accuracy and detail are critical. His work involves frequent interviews with executives, analysts, and lawyers.
Transcription was always a problem:
- Doing it himself was slow and tedious.
- Hiring students to help was unpopular and inconsistent.
- Professional transcription services were expensive and often inaccurate.
The turning point
A colleague introduced Jeppe to Good Tape. It was, in his words, a game changer. High-quality transcripts delivered in minutes. Reasonable pricing compared to costly services and easy integration with his workflow, especially when paired with ChatGPT for cleanup.
The results
For Jeppe, the value is both economic and professional. By reducing the burden of transcription, Good Tape frees editors like Jeppe to focus on their expertise: delivering insight and depth to readers. He spend less money transcription services and wastes less time on editing poor-quality transcripts.
Good Tape has made my life as an editor much easier. Now I can focus on writing articles instead of mindless transcription.
Trusted by professionals and teams
Want to read more?
Check out these related resources
Help center (FAQ)
What makes Good Tape different?
We focus on one thing: transcription. Good Tape is fast, secure, accurate, and simple. No data selling, no training on your files, no clutter.
How accurate is Good Tape?
Good Tape delivers some of the most accurate AI transcripts available, supporting 100+ languages, accents, and fast speech. You spend less time correcting and more time creating.
Does Good Tape support multiple languages?
Yes, more than 100+. From English, Spanish, and French to Arabic, Hindi, and Mandarin, Good Tape handles accents and dialects with ease.
Is Good Tape secure to use?
Yes. Files are encrypted, stored safely within the EU, and never shared or used for AI training. We’re fully GDPR compliant and offer signed DPAs.
Can I use Good Tape on my phone?
Yes. The Good Tape app for iOS and Android lets you record, upload, and transcribe instantly, with live feedback on audio quality.
How fast is Good Tape?
Manual transcription takes 6–8 hours per hour of audio. Good Tape does it in minutes, fast and accurate.
How much does Good Tape cost?
Good Tape is affordable for individuals and teams, with flexible Free, Pro, and Business plans.
What happens to my files in Good Tape?
Your files are deleted automatically after transcription unless you choose to keep them. They’re encrypted and stored securely within the EU.
Can I use Good Tape for my team?
Yes. Good Tape Teams lets you share, organize, and collaborate securely on transcriptions and projects.
Trusted by the people who don’t trust tech
GDPR compliant transcription for professionals