(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced the launch of the administration's use of Meerkat, a mobile application that allows individuals to live-stream events through their Twitter account.
"Since taking office in 2011, Lieutenant Governor Reynolds and I have been committed to increasing transparency in state government," said Branstad. "By reinstating the governor's weekly news conference, establishing the Iowa Public Information Board, visiting all 99 counties each year, launching the 'Skype Your School' and 'Ask the Gov' initiatives, posting all open records requests each month and calling for a change in state law to open up state employee personnel records, we've made government more open. By using Meerkat, we're continuing to adapt and allowing Iowans to join us on the road and in our press conferences."
The Meerkat app is free to download and does not use any taxpayer funds.
"By using the Meerkat app, Iowans will be able to join us as we tour communities following natural disasters, as we visit a small business, listen-in to our weekly press conferences or even as we hit the trail for our annual 99-county tour," said Reynolds. "We encourage Iowans to follow our Twitter accounts - @TerryBranstad and @KimReynoldsIA - and join us live through the Meerkat app."
The application uses mobile devices, such as an iPhone or iPad, to broadcast events live to the account holder's Twitter feed. Users are then able to engage in real-time via Twitter. The administration will begin using the application regularly for their weekly press conference, but will continue to broadcast the press conference live via Branstad's YouTube pagewhere the video is then archived.
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