• Recapping the VP debate

    Thursday, October 11, 2012

    Tonight Vice President Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) and Rep. Paul Ryan (@PaulRyanVP) squared off for the quadrennial Vice Presidential debate. Citizens tuned in to watch or listen and tweet, sharing their opinions on the evening’s exchanges. In total, 4 million Tweets were sent concerning tonight’s debate, 3.5 million of which occurred during the 92 minutes of live action.

    Of those 4 million Tweets, 26% were about foreign policy; 21% discussed the economy; and 16% were regarding taxes. However, several of the moments that inspired the most Tweets per minute were quips the candidates made. Tonight’s top Tweets per minute (TPM) peaks were:
    - Biden: "Now you're Jack Kennedy?" (58,275 TPM)
    - Ryan: “They got caught with their hand in the cookie jar turning Medicare into a piggy bank for Obamacare.” (55,540 TPM)
    - Biden discussing the timeline for leaving Afghanistan (54,944)

    The full timeline of conversation and notable moments can be seen below (click to enlarge):

    While the unexpected star of the Presidential debate turned out to be Big Bird, tonight’s buzzword was malarkey, which generated more than 30,000 Tweets. Another notable figure of the evening: moderator Martha Raddatz (@MarthaRaddatz), Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent for ABC. Viewers expressed their delight in her moderating skills:

    Political insiders and pundits closely followed the discussion and shared their views:





    Where were the Presidential candidates while their running mates debated in Danville? Twitter was full of pictures showing how the campaigns and tonight’s VIPs experienced the debate:



    We’ll be back again in just five days for next Tuesday’s town hall debate between the @BarackObama and @MittRomney.

    Posted by Adam Sharp, Head of Government, News and Social Innovation (@adams)

    Posted by @ at 9:34 PM

  • Debate night: Joe Biden and Paul Ryan take the stage

    Tonight Vice President Joe Biden and Governor Mitt Romney’s running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, will take the stage in Danville, Kentucky for their first and only debate. It starts at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, and is expected to cover a wide range of issues.

    The election conversation has been going strong on Twitter since last week in Denver. Since that debate, in fact, there have been about 4 million campaign- and debate-related Tweets sent. As they prep for tonight, Vice President Biden and Rep. Ryan are sharing behind-the-scenes photos and tweeting out messages to rally their followers. And tonight’s debate moderator, ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz has been sharing her sojourn to the stage too:



    Follow the debate on Twitter tonight using the hashtag #debates, and be sure to follow our @gov team, who will be tweeting the most interesting stats of the night.

    Posted by Adam Sharp (@adams)
    Head of Government, News and Social Innovation

    Posted by @ at 10:53 AM

  • New Twitter for BlackBerry app

    Wednesday, October 10, 2012

    Starting today, you can download a new version of Twitter for BlackBerry from the App World. This new release makes Twitter on BlackBerry even better: Now when you expand a Tweet to see the details view, you can enjoy article summaries from websites like CNN or beautiful photos from sites like National Geographic. And you’ll see contacts from your Device Address Book who are on Twitter, making it easier to find your friends.

    Soon, we’ll change the way expanded Tweets display photos in our BlackBerry app, bringing you a faster and overall better experience. You’ll need to upgrade older versions to Twitter for BlackBerry 3.2 to continue seeing a full photo preview inside a Tweet.

    Posted by Brian Frank @bfrank
    Product Manager, Mobile

    Posted by @ at 1:45 PM

  • Tweeting with the (Modern) Family

    It’s a long-standing tradition for a family to gather on the couch to watch TV together. Tonight, Twitter is hosting a viewing party with one America’s funniest families: the Pritchett-Delgado-Tucker-Dunphys, of ABC’s hit show Modern Family.

    Starting at 9pm ET / 8pm CT / 9pm PT, members of the @ModernFam cast and crew will live-tweet tonight’s special double-feature of episodes. You can tune-in, tweet-in, and spend the evening as part of the @ModernFam family of stars, producers, editors, and more.

    Tonight’s live-tweeting cast includes:
    Steve Levitan (@SteveLevitan) - Co-creator
    Danny Zuker (@DannyZuker) - Executive Producer
    Sofia Vergara (@SofiaVergara) - Gloria
    Julie Bowen (@itsJulieBowen) - Claire
    Ariel Winter (@arielwinter1) - Alex
    Nolan Gould (@Nolan_Gould) - Luke
    Rico Rodriguez (@StarringRico) - Manny
    Ryan Case (@film114) - Editor
    Clint McCray (@ClintMcCray) - Script Coordinator

    To help you easily follow the whole 'Family' gathering, we've created an event page for the evening: Twitter.com/#modernfamily.

    We’ve worked with ABC and the Modern Family producers to assemble this group of live-tweeters that will give viewers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of TV’s hottest comedy. Being a through-and-through “modern” family, the @ModernFam gang is active on Twitter. If you’ve only seen them from your couch, you’ll love getting closer to them on Twitter:
    Continue checking back this fall TV season for more ways to get closer to your favorite shows and stars!

    Posted by Fred Graver, Head of TV (@fredgraver)

    Posted by @ at 10:41 AM

  • A new look for TweetDeck

    Today we updated the TweetDeck app on all our supported platforms - web, Chrome, Mac and Windows. The update is live now on web.tweetdeck.com. If you use the Windows app, just restart to trigger an auto-update. Chrome app users should restart Chrome to update the app and the updated Mac app is available now in the Mac App Store.

    This update makes TweetDeck easier to use with design enhancements, personalization options and the addition of several frequently-requested features.

    Choose your theme

    The traditional dark background of TweetDeck is clearer and cleaner, while maintaining the classic TweetDeck look. We have also added a lighter theme — a brand new colour scheme that offers dark text on a light background.

    You can easily switch themes by clicking on the theme indicator on the top toolbar.

    Change your font

    Now you can change the size of the font used to display Tweets. On the General tab in the Settings pane, you can select Small (13pt), Medium (14pt) or Large (15pt) font sizes.

    A year of improvements

    Last December, we launched a new version of TweetDeck on a framework that helps us develop new features and integrate your feedback. Since the start of the year we have been making continued improvements to the TweetDeck apps. Here are just some of the highlights of our constant updates since we first launched these new apps back in December 2011:

    • Swifter navigation - Including the new column navigator and trackpad scrolling, enabling faster navigation and easier column reordering.
    • List management - Manage all aspects of your Twitter lists directly in the app.
    • Profile improvements - New Profile design, including support for header photos and an indicator when a user follows you.
    • Improved web support - Enhanced the performance of web.tweetdeck.com and added support for Firefox and Opera.
    • Deeper discovery and engagement - Gain more insight via the Interactions and Activity columns. Take action on Tweets wherever they appear in the app.

    Posted by Richard Barley @richardbarley
    Project Manager, TweetDeck

    Originally posted on the TweetDeck blog

    Posted by @ at 8:46 AM

  • Twitter’s hip-hop firmament: #BarsandStars

    Tuesday, October 09, 2012


    In just a few hours, hip-hop’s legendary emcees and femcees will be in the building at the BET Hip-Hop Awards (8pm ET/ 7pm CT), showcasing their lyrical finesse. As always, Twitter will be your all-access pass to celebrate hip-hop’s biggest moments at tonight’s show.  

    To get you ready for the big night, check out this special Twitter hip-hop page. Even after the show, you can use this page to follow your hip-hop favorites.  

    Cyphers 
    BET (@BET) has lined up some fun ways for fans (well, those of you on Twitter!) to get involved with tonight’s festivities. Here’s one: since a key element of hip-hop is the cypher, Twitter’s most-followed hip-hop moguls will showcase their lyrical wordplay during tonight’s cypher sessions. And BET is calling all fans to submit their hottest bars using the #BETTwitterCypher hashtag. They will choose your best two lines to make a full cypher.  

    In addition to letting fans join the cyphers, some big-time names will be spitting their best bars on stage. West Coast’s coolest emcees and legendary supergroup The Ruff Ryders will take the stage for the #RespectTheWest and #RuffRyders cyphers. @KendrickLamar, @SnoopDogg and @E40 will kick off the first roundtable session for the #RespectTheWest cypher. Bar for bar, @DMX, @Cassidy_Larsiny, and @TheRealEve will lead the pack for the #RuffRyders team.  


    Not feeling the cypher? There are plenty of other ways to be part of the ATL conversation:

     Live-tweeters 
    @TheRealMikeEpps will not only be hosting on-screen; he’ll also be live-tweeting throughout the whole show. Follow him for nothing but laughs and his behind-the-scenes looks. Compton’s very own @KendrickLamar will be representing Black Hippy and live-tweeting too. In addition to Kendrick, two of Young Money’s freshest additions, @YMCMB_BW (Bow Wow) and @ItsMystikal (Mystikal) will be live-tweeting.

     Join the convo
    Your favorite celebs will be tweeting about tonight’s show using the official #HipHopAwards hashtag. Use that to stay up on the latest action during the show. Throughout each cypher round, #BETCyphers is the #1 hashtag to use to give your critique of who spit the hottest 16s.  

    From cyphers to performances, all of your favorite artists will blaze the stage. Stay tuned in on Twitter. Don’t miss a beat.

      Posted by Tatiana Simonian, Head of Music (@tatiana)

    Posted by @ at 4:02 PM

  • NFL Week 5: QBs lead in Twitter chatter

    Two teams remain undefeated through Week 5, but its not just their fans who are cheering. We’ve tallied up the Twitter chatter since Week 1, and results show that the QBs are leading the way. The top three most-tweeted-about players are:

    1. Peyton Manning

    His highlight: 
    We saw the biggest spike in conversation surrounding Peyton Manning during Week 1 when the @Denver_Broncos took on the @Steelers

    2. Tony Romo

    His highlight: 
    Tweets about Tony Romo culminated in Week 4 as he threw a jaw-dropping five interceptions in one game. 

    3. Drew Brees

    His highlight: 
    Twitter chatter surrounding Drew Brees (@DrewBrees) saw its peak this week as he passed for a TD in 48 consecutive games, breaking a long-standing record held by Johnny Unitas since 1960. 

    On Sunday, the @49ers dominated the field, collecting 621 yards of offense which resulted in a franchise record. Players expressed their excitement on Twitter. 


     @KCChiefs QB Matt Cassell was escorted off the field in a stretcher after a hard hit from the @Ravens’ Haloti Ngata left him with a concussion, unable to finish the game. However what really stirred up controversy wasn’t the hit. Instead, it was fans’ reactions as they cheered in support of Cassell’s injury. Cassell’s loyal teammates spoke up after the game and reinforced their thoughts on Twitter.


    @Colts WR @Reggie_Wayne87 fought hard for an upset over the @packers as he caught 13 passes and the game winning touchdown. His motivation for the win? His coach, Chuck Pagano who is unfortunately battling leukemia in an Indianapolis hospital.


    Which game will garner the most chatter next week? Stay tuned to find out. 

    Posted by Omid Ashtari - (@omid)
    Head of Sports & Entertainment

    Posted by @ at 12:45 PM

  • Fall TV: New shows, more Tweets

    Monday, October 08, 2012

    Over the past two weeks, many of television’s biggest stars live-tweeted the premiere episodes of their shows. And the fun’s not over yet! This week, several additional shows will feature live-tweeting casts... and we’ve even got a surprise up our sleeve.

    To help you easily follow all this week’s small screen stars, we’ve created a one-stop-shop Get Started page for Fall TV: http://discover.twitter.com/falltv.html.

    On Wednesday, the hotly anticipated country music drama Nashville (@Nashville_ABC) will be debuting on ABC. To celebrate the premiere, @TwitterTV has assembled a cast of country music performers and influencers to live-tweet and give fans the real insider scoop on all things country.

    On Thursday, the new @CW_Network show Beauty and the Beast will also kick things off on Twitter,  as well as hit Vampire Diaries. On Sunday @Revenge fans can ask a cast member about the show’s twists and turns.

    Here’s your full TV guide for this week:

    Wednesday, 10/10:
    ABC's Nashville: @Nashville_ABC | #NashvilleABC (series premiere)
    Cast members Hayden Panettierre (@haydenpanettier) and Clare Bowen (@clarembee) are both live-tweeting, 10 PM EST / 9 PM CST alongside a live-tweeting cast of country influencers we pulled together, who are sure to have insights on many aspects of the show and the characters:

    @leebrice: Musician; he has also co-written singles for Garth Brooks, Adam Gregory, Eli Young Band and Tim McGraw. His latest song "Hard to Love" is #6 on the Billboard Top 100 (Country).

    @cowboytroy: Musician Troy Lee Coleman III, who performed on this past season's Dancing With The Stars finale (May 2012).

    @gwensebastian: Musician discovered on NBC's The Voice; currently on tour with Blake Shelton. 

    @jamieoneal: A powerhouse in Nashville, she recently started a new label working with young female musicians, producing/managing them and helping them navigate the industry.

    @rachelelynae: Jamie's flagship artist. Has a current hit on the radio called "Party 'til the Cows Come Home."

    @marysarahmusic: Teen singing sensation who was discovered through Twitter & YouTube. Currently cutting her album (releasing Spring 2013) with classic country artists Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and many others.

    @JessicaNorthey: Creator/founder of Country Music Chat (#CMChat) on Twitter and blogger for the web's largest music and radio community AllAccess.com.

    @joebonsall: Musician; a member of the Oak Ridge Boys.

    Thursday, 10/11:
    Vampire Diaries: #TVD (8PM ET)
    Actor Ian Somerhalder (@iansomerhalder) will be live-tweeting

    Beauty and the Beast: #batb (9PM ET)
    @BatBwriters, the writing staff of the show, will be live-tweeting

    Sunday, 10/14:
    Revenge (@Revenge | #Revenge)
    Cast member Christa Allen @christabrittany

    Finally, be sure to check back on Wednesday for a mid-week surprise about one of TV’s biggest (and funniest) shows!

    Posted by Kate Bowen, TV Partnerships team (@kateb)

    Posted by @ at 5:50 PM

  • The #Postseason begins

    Friday, October 05, 2012

    For baseball fans, October is synonymous with the playoffs. The postseason berths and brackets went down to the wire, finally being cemented after the last day of the regular season yesterday. The #postseason starts tonight, with Division Series slots on the line in a single winner-take-all game. The @Rangers and @Orioles face off in the AL Wild Card playoff, and the @Braves take on the reigning champions the @Cardinals in the NL matchup.

    Throughout the regular season, the @Rangers fans had a larger cheering section on Twitter than the @Orioles (based on number of mentions), while the @Braves fans were louder than the @Cardinals fans. Who will be cheering the loudest tonight?

    And for the divisional series games that begin tomorrow, here’s the roar from the tweet-seats:
    -@SFGiants fans out-tweeted @Reds
    -@Tigers were more tweeted-about than @Athletics
    -@Yankees over either of their potential challengers (@Rangers or @Orioles)
    -@Nationals would have home-tweet advantage over @Cardinals, but @Braves top them both.

    To help you find and follow all the best postseason Tweets, we’ve made a curated page that features players from all the playoff-bound players: find the players from the American League’s top teams at https://discover.twitter.com/alplayoffs.html, and from the National League at https://discover.twitter.com/nlplayoffs.html.

    As we head into the playoffs, following the action on Twitter is like having access to the dugout. You can get a first look at lineups, hear commentary from managers and front office, get insights and strategy from sports reporters, sift through countless statistics, talk to your favorite players, and of course, cheer loudly for your team.

    The @Braves, facing off tonight in the Wild Card matchup, let fans near and far get a glimpse of soon-retiring Chipper Jones (@RealCJ10) in batting practice:
    The beat reporter for the @SFGiants lets fans in on what the team’s pitching lineup may look like through the postseason:
    The staff of the @Rangers express their frustration after losing the division title, and rally up fan support for tonight’s Wild Card game:
    The wife of @Athletics pitcher Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) shares a photo of the team’s on-field celebration after winning their division:
    The first winner of the Triple Crown since 1967, @Tigers 3B Miguel Cabrera tweets his gratitude to his Spanish-speaking fans:
    Drew Storen & Tyler Clippard, close friends battling for the closer role on the @Nationals, are also battling over who pays for dinner - and fans get to vote for who picks up the tab:
    After winning their division in the last game of the season, the @Yankees show what it really looks like in the clubhouse celebration:

    Posted by Omid Ashtari, Head of Sports & Entertainment (@omid)

    Posted by @ at 11:25 AM

  • Dispatch from the Denver debate

    Thursday, October 04, 2012

    The topic of tonight’s presidential debate was domestic policy, and citizens all over came to Twitter to share their comments and follow millions of real-time responses from pundits, campaigns, and fellow voters.

    As conversation on the Denver stage and on Twitter ranged from Medicare to Big Bird, there were more than 10 million Tweets this evening, making this first of the 2012 presidential debates the most tweeted-about event in U.S. politics.

    The specific moments that generated the most discussion on Twitter were:
    -Moderator Jim Lehrer quips “Let’s not” when Governor Romney requests a topic
    -President Obama quips “I had 5 seconds” when Lehrer gives time limit
    -The discussion about Medicare and vouchers

    The chart below plots the pulse of conversation throughout the debate (click to see full-size):

    As the evening proceeded, several other trends emerged on Twitter. While @BarackObama and @MittRomney sparred over details of their respective economic plans, viewers at home attempted to keep up with the statistics and promises from each of them. Several Twitter accounts were dedicated to fact-checking throughout the evening, and fact-checking Tweets saw a great number of of retweets.


    The candidates weren’t the only lighting rods for conversation: hundreds of thousands of Tweets — and even a new parody account — assessed the evening’s moderator, Jim Lehrer of PBS.


    Of course, the evening’s real breakout star was a certain tall yellow Muppet. There were more than a quarter million Tweets mentioning Big Bird, following Governor Romney’s statement that he wants to cut Federal funding for PBS, the Muppet characters’ TV channel, even despite his stated fondness for the Sesame Street character. Ardent supporters of Big Bird (and public broadcasting) took to Twitter to create parody accounts such as @SadBigBird, @BigBirdRomney and @FiredBigBird.

    Even after the candidates stepped away from stage, the Twitter debate continued:


    Next stop on this portion of the campaign trail is Danville, Kentucky, where @JoeBiden and @PaulRyanVP meet next Thursday night for the Vice Presidential debate. We’ll meet you on Twitter to take it all in.

    Posted by Adam Sharp, Head of Government, News, & Social Innovation (@AdamS)

    Posted by @ at 12:14 AM