Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and 
nucleic acid reporter molecules for the detection of 
nucleic acid in a sample. The 
nucleic acid reporter molecule comprises two unsymmetrical 
cyanine monomer moieties, which may be the same or different, that are covalently attached by a 
linker comprising at least one aromatic, heteroaromatic, cyclic or heterocyclic 
moiety comprising 3-20 non-
hydrogen atoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, S, P and C. The 
linker may be rigid, relatively flexible or some degree thereof. The unsymmetrical 
cyanine monomer moieties comprise a substituted or unsubstituted benzazolium 
moiety and a substituted or unsubstituted 
pyridinium or quinolinium 
moiety that is connected by a methine bridge that is monomethine, trimethine or pentamethine. The linkers form the 
cyanine dimer compounds by attaching to the 
pyridinium or quinolinium moiety of the 
monomer moieties. The present nucleic acid reporter molecules find utility in forming a nucleic acid-reporter molecule complex and detecting the nucleic acid. In particular, present nucleic acid reporter molecules with a rigid 
linker and monomer moieties with a monomethine bridge find utility in detecting 
RNA in the presence of 
DNA.