NewsOK Now » Social Media

Tweets from International Press Institute convention

Tiffany Gibson — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 16:17:56 +0000

NewsOK Editor Yvette Walker has been blogging from the International Press Institute in Trinidad. Follow tweets from the convention below.

Off to Trinidad to defend press freedom

Tiffany Gibson — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:42:00 +0000

Telling people you are going to Port of Spain can be confusing. No, I’m not headed to Spain, I’m going to Trinidad. The International Press Institute is holding its World Congress there beginning Sunday and I’ll be on a panel about Ethics and Social Media.

So, off to Port of Spain, Trinidad. I’m leaving a few days early to take advantage of a little sun and fun, and who wouldn’t? Over the next few days I’ll be blogging about the country and the conference.

Yvette Walker

Trinidad and its sister island, Tobago, is just north of the northern tip of South America in the North Atlantic Ocean. It’s closer to Venezuela than to Jamaica or even Puerto Rico, but it’s still considered part of the Caribbean. Its working press are members of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers.

It’s proximity to South America is important because certain South American countries are repressive in press freedom rights. Venezuela is ranked 117th of 179 countries on the press freedom index. Honduras, one of the worst countries for press freedom, is 136th.

By comparison, the United States is ranked 47th (dropping because of the Occupy protests). Finland is at the top of the list.

Wesley Gibbings, the president of the Caribbean Media Workers, said the World Congress will help the group shine a light on its work.

“Though we have generally escaped the worst impacts of impunity, violence and official aggression, Caribbean social communicators and journalists have not eluded the potentially muting impacts of self- censorship, unenlightened regulation and challenging economic, social and political circumstances. ”

The IPI has defended press freedom for more than 60 years. It holds a World Congress every year. Alison Bethel, executive director of the IPI, said in a statement: “The three-day IPI World Congress will examine the many challenges, concerns and opportunities facing the media not only in the Caribbean, but also in the rest of the Americas and around the globe.”

Come back for more reports from Trinidad and my travels there.

- Yvette Walker

News coverage of the NBA Finals

Tiffany Gibson — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:40:32 +0000

The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled out a win against the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals Tuesday night. To help with sports coverage, news reporters pitched in to help cover the atmosphere inside the arena.

Read more about their experiences inside the arena and interactions with fans and facility staff before the players stepped onto the court.

Below are tweets from reporters Juliana Keeping and Bryan Painter from Game 1. If you can’t see the Storify below, click here.

Stay tuned for more Thunder coverage on our NewsOK page.

Friends, classmates remember OU student found dead on Norman campus

Tiffany Gibson — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:29:13 +0000

In the wake of a student’s death on the University of Oklahoma campus, friends and classmates have been posting on social media sites to remember the 22-year-old woman found unresponsive Sunday.

The student, identified as Casey Cooke, of Edmond, was found shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday east of Evans Hall. She held a bachelor’s degree in zoology and was pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in Spanish.

Below is a collection of tweets and Facebook posts about Cooke and her family.

If you can’t see the posts below, click here. To add your own post, write a comment below.



OKC Thunder: Art community backs NBA team
Tiffany Gibson — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:59:39 +0000

This video was tweeted @NewsOK Thursday and shows local artists’ work and support for the Thunder.
The piece was produced by James Harber, who describes the video as a showcase of the art community’s involvement with the NBA team.



Oklahoma City Council: Live tweets from the meeting
Tiffany Gibson — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:19:46 +0000
Reporter Michael Kimball was tweeting live from the Oklahoma City Council meeting Tuesday. One of the items discussed was hotel tax collections surpassing previous estimates.
Check out the timeline of tweets below for more. If you can’t see the Storify, click here.







James Harden’s beard inspires YouTube music video
Tiffany Gibson — Fri, 11 May 2012 21:54:41 +0000

James Harden has been making headlines lately after he earned the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award and played a key role in the the Thunder’s sweep of the Dallas Mavericks.
And now his facial hair is back in the spotlight too, inspiring a catchy YouTube music video.
The video is called “Beard Like Harden” and has been viewed more than 8,500 times since Thursday. It takes a few shots at the Los Angeles Lakers and even mentions OKC’s Kevin Durant and his lack of facial hair. Check it out.
For more NewsOK Thunder coverage, click here.



This American Life Live: NPR lovers unite in Oklahoma City
Tiffany Gibson — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:12:28 +0000

I don’t think I’ve laughed this much in months, and I have “This American Life Live” to thank.
On Thursday night, I went to watch a live broadcast of the popular radio show on the big screen at Tinseltown in Oklahoma City. According to the show’s website, the first live show was held in 2009 and more than 50,000 people came out to theaters across the world to see it. 
Joining other listeners, or should I say viewers, I turned up to see what host Ira Glass had in store for us all. One thing’s for sure, he definitely didn’t disappoint.
To drop a few hints, the show included musical stylings from OK GO, comedic dance performances,  captivating storytelling, an unexpected musical performance from a pop diva and NPR Fresh Air Host Terry Gross robbing a bank.
Yes, that’s right. Terry Gross robbed a bank. Or at least she did in Mike Birbiglia’s short film for the show. Watch the video below to see what I’m talking about.

It was a fun show, and the audience even got to participate in some of the segments. I won’t give anything away, but I recommend downloading the Android and iPhone app beforehand. If you don’t have one of these devices, don’t worry. You’ll have plenty to do, too.
As much as I liked the music and artistic expression, a stand-up routine sticks out in my mind as one of the best segments of the night. Comedian Tig Notaro had a hilarious routine about running into a late ’80s pop star several times and complimenting her voice. You’ll just have to watch the show to see who it is.
Some theaters are expected to hold an encore screening of the show at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. If you missed it once, don’t let it happen again. Look for tickets here.



Tweets from the Oklahoma City Council meeting
Tiffany Gibson — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:06:52 +0000
Reporter Michael Kimball was live tweeting from the Oklahoma City Council meeting Tuesday morning during talks of the proposed city budget.
Be sure to follow him for the latest on city issues. Oklahoma City Council meetings start at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays.
Below is a timeline of his tweets throughout the meeting and his latest story about the budget.  If you can’t see the Storify below, click here.







Funeral held for Lincoln County boy; authorities investigating child’s death
Tiffany Gibson — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:27:07 +0000

Funeral services were held Monday for a 4-year-old Lincoln County boy whose death remains under investigation.
Lincoln County Sheriff Charlie Dougherty said Troy Damelio was found dead at his family’s trailer Thursday at 850661 S State Highway 18. He said the parents called to report the death and told officials he had a fever for about a week before he died.
From an earlier story:
Investigators were told the parents are members of the Church of the Firstborn in the Parkland community. Dougherty said members are known not to seek medical help for illnesses.
Services were held 10 a.m. Monday at the Osage Church of the Firstborn in Agra, according to the Palmer Marler Funeral Home’s Facebook page.
Damelio’s cause of death is still pending, a spokeswoman for the state medical examiner said Tuesday.