The Media Today: The New York Times, PBS, NPR And Others Reach Out To Caitie Parker Via Twitter

As you likely know, there was a deadly shooting in Arizona yesterday afternoon that claimed the lives of six people, according to The New York Times. At approximately 2:00pm, Caitie Parker, a high school class mate of the shooter, noted on Twitter that the incident happened "2 minutes from my house." When the media discovered her, likely because of a smart interview Anthony DeRosa was conducting with here, at least 35 public requests for comment, phone calls and interviews—from local newspapers to national news networks—came into Catie on Twitter from all over the country, as well as overseas. [UPDATE: Caitie disclosed she received another 32 messages via Facebook, DM and email.] This included representatives and reporters from the AP, ABC News, CNN, People Magazine and The New York Times, (where a reporter eagerly exclaimed in an earlier tweet: "Let's crowdsource this: Anyone seen tweets from people who say they know shooting suspect Jared Lee #Loughner?"). When Caitie explained she couldn't manage all the requests, Gawker reporter Adrian Chen probably offered her the best advice when he suggested: "You should write a single statement and release it via twitlonger."

Teresa Gorman from PBS "NewsHour" was the first to arrive in Caitie’s twitter stream. After Caitie made mention of the proximity of her house to the shooting, Gorman beat everybody to the punch and quickly inquired: “Anything going on near you w/ the shooting of the congresswoman?”

Caitie has since informed she is not giving any more interviews. That's ok with People Magazine reporter Steve Helling, who happily noted high school classmates of the shooter "are coming out of the woodwork now." NYC The Blog's Facebook page has a photo album containing screenshots of every media request (38 to date at 10:30pm) sent to Caitie publicly via Twitter. Add them to your rolodex!

Previously:

• Governor Andrew Cuomo 'Doesn't Have Time To Twitter' But Someone On His Team Does
• Twitter's Built In Memory Hole
  
• Twetching The Tweets Of Twitters
• The New York Times First Ever Sponsored Tweet
  
• Print Media In New York City Embrace Advertisements Delivered Via Twitter

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

UPDATED: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo 'Doesn't Have Time To Twitter' But Someone On His Team Does

UPDATE: @NYGovernor was indeed an impostor (@NickFahrenkopf is claiming responsibility.) @NYGovernor apparently was linked to at http://www.governor.ny.gov before the account went live, and was never registered. @NickFahrenkopf noticed this, registered the account and "had some fun." Governor Cuomo’s webteam has edited the Governor's website and replaced link to impostor Twitter with a link to the official Twitter. Screengrabs of all the mixups here.
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After New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's personal Twitter account was deleted or suspended, a new one appeared at @NYGovernor with a surprisingly unconventional bio page. It's still not clear if Twitter or the Cuomo team deleted the @AndrewCuomo account, but Cuomo's new Twitter account told NYC The Blog that the "Governor doesn't have time to twitter on his own." Instead, the "best web and social media people around," are working on it.

In response to questions about the interesting bio page, @NYGovernor responded: "What's offensive about the bio? Seems accurate..." and then solicited suggestions for a new bio. One constituent found the current bio in "bad taste," and another thinks "the staffer who created the account needs to look for a new job." All of this is to say the Twitter account of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo seems very unorthodox and has people perplexed, including Jim Roberts, an associate managing editor of The New York Times. As to questions about the authenticity of the new Twitter account, it is linked from the Governor's .gov page.

UPDATE: Whomever is tweeting at @NYGovernor sent a Direct Message via Twitter to NYC The Blog, requesting "media questions" be sent via email. An email address at NYGovernor@gmail.com was provided. When asked if Governor Cuomo was aware of this Twitter account or if it was authorized, NYGovernor@gmail.com responded: "I'm working the @NYGovernor twitter feed, but don't have anything to do with media relations. Since you're actively updating a website/blog I can't answer right away. I do have your questions and will get back to you soon." Multiple requests inquiring if the person tweeting at @NYGovernor was an official representative for Andrew Cuomo were ignored.

UPDATE: NYC The Blog is on hold with the Governor's office, trying to get more information. In the meantime, its been suggested that @NYGovCuomo is the real Twitter account for Governor Cuomo, and a tremendous oversight was likely made at http://www.governor.ny.gov when a link was given for @NYGovernor.

Previously:
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's Twitter Takes Bizarre Turn
UPDATED: Did Twitter Suspend And Delete New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's Twitter Account?

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: @NYGovernor/Twitter

UPDATED: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's Twitter Takes Bizarre Turn

>>SEE MOST RECENT UPDATE HERE.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has a new Twitter account, linked directly on his official .gov page. He lists his bio as: "First elected Governor of the State of New York since the Luv Guv. @shellysilver calls me Mario's Kid. I live with @sandrashm and like classic cars." Unless this is an incredibly elaborate hoax which would have required access to the New York Governor's own official website, that bio seems in incredible poor taste, no? @shellysilver, by the way, is a parody Twitter account for Shelly Silver, and the "Luv Guv" of course refers to former Governor Eliot Spitzer.

The new @NYGovernor account comes on the heels of Cuomo's previous account being "suspended due to strange activity."

UPDATE I: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo removes reference to "Luv Guv" on his bio page and reminds people where you can still see the old one if you missed it.
UPDATE II: Incredible Hoax

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: @NYGovernor/Twitter/NYC The Blog

UPDATED: Did Twitter Suspend And Delete New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's Twitter Account?

Andrew Cuomo was sworn in as Governor of New York State last night. And as of at least this morning, it appears Twitter has suspended and deleted his official Twitter account "due to strange activity." In tests, Cuomo's Twitter was deleted or suspended as seen via Firefox, Safari and mobile browser.

NYC The Blog has reached out Twitter and Andrew Cuomo's team for more information and will update with any responses received. You can see Cuomo's Twitter page in Google's Cache below.

UPDATED: Twitter's Built In Memory Hole

Yesterday, Samuel Goldsmith, Deputy Mayor for Operations in New York City, decided to follow Newark Mayor Cory Booker's lead on Twitter and lend a hand to people whose streets haven't been plowed by encouraging residents to get in contact. He must have had a change of heart though since he's now deleted the tweet.

And if you used Twitters Retweet function to share Goldsmith's offer, instead of manually retweeting the tweet, the tweet will disappear from your feed if the original twitter deletes it, as Goldsmith did. It's probably harder than it looks to be Cory Booker on Twitter.

So the tweet was sent down Twitter's memory hole. But that's not much solace to those hoping to remove a tweet, as Google's cache will often produce what you are looking for, as seen in the sample image created above.

UPDATE: Two hours after this post went up, Samuel Goldsmith is cautiously trying his luck again on Twitter. He just offered: "Let us know if your block needs more work. If you can’t DM me, include “@NYCMayorsOffice” in your tweet."

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

Twetching The Tweets Of Twitters

Twetches.com is where Twitter meets sketching. Twitter users sketch others tweets, and post them on Twetches. For example, see the one above, featuring a tweet of mine sketched by @epiczombie. It reads: "How did it become ok for ppl to let their pets piss and shit all over the street?"

Because really, when did that become ok, even if you pick it up? Fecal matter all over public sidewalks and parks? Maybe you should let your pet shit on your bathroom floor, then pick that up. Seems more appropriate and sensible. 

@epiczombie has featured two more tweets from this anti-dog shit crusader...see them below.

The New York Times First Ever Sponsored Tweet

NYC The Blog has learned from a source with direct knowledge of the situation, of the very first 'Sponsored Tweet' transmitted over the transom on behalf of The New York Times, in an ad buy arranged The Times' ad agency, Morpheus.

'Sponsored Tweets' in the feeds of media outlets have just recently started to become common.

The Times' 'Sponsored Tweet' advertised 50% off home delivery, and appeared on February 16 in the Twitter feed of Fashionista.com, a first for both Fashionista and The Times. It was one of five The Times received that week, likely part of a larger ad buy.

Below, see The New York Times' very first 'Sponsored Tweet' in varying forms, perfect for the Library of Congress' new collection!

Print Media In New York City Embrace Advertisements Delivered Via Twitter

Last week NYCTB noticed 'Sponsored Tweets' in the Twitter feed of The New York Post, and Time Out New York.

Wondering aloud when this became practice, Twitter user Thomas Hinton (a photog at The Post is also named Thomas Hinton) responded via Twitter that The Post started 'Sponsored Tweets' just just week.

Though tweets as advertising are becoming common on celebrity Twitter feeds, we might be witnessing a new practice developing in the financially challenged print media industry.

Have you seen other print media providing 'Sponsored Tweets' in their feed?

Related: Thanks to a tip from a source with direct knowledge of the situation, NYCTB has located the very first 'Sponsored Tweet' purchased by The New York Times. Screengrabs will be posted in just a short while...perfect for the Library of Congress' new collection!

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter.

The New York Times Purchasing Sponsored Tweets

After discovering Sponsored Tweets in the feed of @newyorkpost yesterday, and wondering aloud if other news orgs practices this, twitter user @samdawnpaul brought attention to this tweet from Time Out New York's twitter feed.

Interestingly enough, as seen above, it is a "Sponsored post" for The New York Times, offering 50% off subscriptions. It seems innocuous enough; one can imagine the use of them becoming common, without much fanfare. Though admittedly, there is something slightly sad and desperate about this particular "Sponsored post."

Maybe 'sponsored posts' in tweets of others, purchased by The New York Times (most likely included in an ad package), is out of the ordinary—like a warm thank you or emoticon on their Facebook page, too new and unfamiliar—ever so slightly unsettling.

Or maybe not, who knows? Sponsor tweets away!

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Smart Crew Gets Fresh On Twitter, Taunts The MTA

Curious about security measures the MTA has in place to prevent graffiti on trains? Just hit 'em off with an @reply on Twitter. That's how noted grafitti crew and ball busters Smart Crew handled it when they asked the MTA about "security measures in place if vandals decide to paint trains..." NYCTSubwayScoop handled the query, and @replied back...

On Nice Asses

Discuss.

NYC The Blog's Live Twitter Of Election Day In Harlem

Will be out and about today twittering election day here in Harlem. The feed below will stay current and update itself. The full feed at Twitter is here. Tweets from Harlem leading up to the election, during the election, and what's happening afterwards. Definitely will have reports from either/both the Harlem Statte Office Building viewing party on 125th St., or the Malcolm X Betty Shabazz Center on 165th.

Breaking News: NYU's Rountable, "The First Amendment, Freedom of the Press, and the Future of Journalism" Turns Into A Spectacle, Twittered Of Course

Dan Rather and others were at at NYU tonight for a roundtable, “The First Amendment, Freedom of the Press, and the Future of Journalism” an event which promptly turned into a discussion of free press, conspiracy theories, and 9-11. Attendees present using Twitter were letting some juicy news slip, such as one noting that the first question asked was "whether [Dan] Rather believes World Trade Center was taken down by bombs inside." Though another Twitter reported the question as more pointed, specifically directed at comments made by Rather during 9-11... "dude at a news media panel with Dan Rather confronted Dan about his comments concerning bombs under towers of World Trade Center. Dan seem bemused but said that he didn't state a fact just stated what he thought it looked like."

This is going to turn into a YouTube situation tomorrow.

Another attendee asked about the Bilderberg, and if the media would start covering the group, which I'm sure they will do as soon as, um, never. The Bilderberg Group of course being the precursor to the Trilateral Commission, where all that world domination, creepy corporatism, raping of the earth and our minds stuff actually takes place. (haha, yah delve into that, I dare you, shit is mad creepy!!)

Anyways..it appears Dan Rather just read Manufacturing Consent, and warned that "corporate ownership of media is troublesome. Big companies have regulatory needs and strike deals with Washington. Be skeptical." He should have said that on air some night back at CBS, now that would have been journalistic!

The most prescient comment of the night? Via Twitter obvs... "national press club centennial forum at nyu journalism institute. dan rather on panel. 2 minutes in and already a mention of twitter. " Tee hee.

Aaron Howell, a grad student at NYU's school of journalism is also at the event, and he reports on the confrontation between the people asking tough questions, and "NYU's facility guy" whose had just about enough of that. Aaron wrote twitted,

"It gets better so the two conspiracy guys brought cameras and followed the people on the panel out. The panel had a NY Times and AP person. The conspiracy people followed the NY Times person to continue asking her about the Bildenberg group. A NYU building facility guy got mad at the conspiracy guys for harassing the NY Times person so he spit in the dudes face/slapped his camera. Facility guy violated the poor conspiracy theorists I think NYU might be in trouble for that one."

Haha! Those conspiracy buffs aren't the brightest bulbs, but they sure do ask great questions. The patients have taken over the ward. Can't wait to see the YouTube video.

<Twitter.com/cnewvine >
<Twitter.com/aaronhowell>
<Twitter.com/samG62>

Related: NYC Twitters you might enjoy

More NYC: NYC The Tumblr | NYC The Twitter

More NYC Tweets You Might Enjoy

Following up on yesterday's post featuring Twitter accounts that offer enjoyable snippets of NYC life, a few more have been brought to my attention, via Twitter obviously.

Twitters from NYC food trucks! Really? Yes. Apparently there are a few popular food trucks out there that use Twitter to alert fans on their location, special deals, and more.

Wafles and Dinges has a Twitter.
The Treats Truck has a Twitter.
Rickshaw Dumplings has a Twitter.
And the food website Midtown Lunch also has a Twitter, which they are trying to figure out how to use.

In addition to the the Twitters mentioned yesterday, we are well on our way to creating a great list of useful and informative nyc centric Twitters!

• <American Museum of Natural History>
  
• <Newyorkology>
  
• <WNYC>
  
• <Around Harlem>
  
• <Waffle Truck>
  
• <The Rickshaw Truck>
  
• <The Treats Truck>
  
• <Midtown Lunch>

Check them out, and follow the one you like. My personal favorite is Newyorkology's Twitter. It stands out above the rest with a steady stream of life in nyc, in 140 characters or less. If you know of anymore great nyc Twitters, please leave them in the comments, or send me a direct message via Twitter; by prefacing your text with D newyorkist.

More NYC: NYC The Tumblr | NYC The Twitter

NYC Tweets You Might Enjoy

Twitter. Blogging in 140 characters or less, via the web or mobile phone. It's what all the kids are doing. NYC The Blog uses one to take notes in the field, using a mobile phone as tool to document the city I live in. Always on the lookout for similar Twitter accounts, I recently discovered the Twitter account of NYC blogger Newyorkology, whose tweets are enjoyable snippets of city life, such as her latest one, "On a packed B61 where two guys loudly running down the pros and cons of different NY jails. Apparently one upstate has good food"

With that in mind, here is a small list of NYC centric Twitter accounts that you might enjoy. If you are aware of more out there in this vein that others could subscribe to, and I'm sure there are, please leave them in the comments. Preferably Twitter accounts that feature live reports and informative snippets about nyc life, as opposed to the NYTimes Twitter for instance, which is just a vehicle for links to stories on their site.

• <American Museum of Natural History>
  
• <Newyorkology>
  
• <WNYC>
  
• <Around Harlem>
  

More NYC: NYC The Tumblr | NYC The Twitter