Dino Lalli is an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, feature/entertainment reporter and on-air host who brings more than 39 years of broadcast media and film production experience into the classroom at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Lalli's journalism credentials include a Peabody Award for Group Coverage of the Oklahoma City Murrah Building Bombing, where he served as a writer and editor on the KOCO-TV team. The Peabody Board recognized the coverage for its "extraordinary news judgment" and "overriding commitment to accuracy, professionalism and public service." The first one-hour Academy Awards special he wrote, produced, and hosted was nominated for a Regional Emmy.
As a working member of the media, Lalli continues to provide entertainment stories and film reviews for Griffin Media. And he held the distinction for many years of being Oklahoma’s only full-time broadcast entertainment reporter. For 15 years, he served as associate producer, feature reporter, and co-host for the long-running award-winning tourism program Discover Oklahoma. And he was the associate producer on the documentary Remember the Sultana, which was distributed on major streaming platforms and PBS UK and was executive produced by actor Sean Astin.
Lalli’s diverse background also includes his work as the Director and Field Representative for the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, where he helped develop Oklahoma's pioneering film and television production incentive program.
At Gaylord College, Lalli teaches a variety of courses including Intro to Media, Electronic Media Writing, History of Motion Media, Intro to Broadcast Journalism, Single Camera Production, and Sound, Light and Motion. His unique combination of industry experience and academic expertise allows him to provide students with practical, real-world perspectives on career development, internship placement, and professional transition strategies, preparing them not just to understand media, but to succeed in it.
Lalli's contributions to journalism and Oklahoma's media landscape have earned him significant recognition. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Gaylord College in 2021 and was inducted into the Oklahoma Movie Hall of Fame the same year. As a freshman at OU, he was a McMahon Journalism Scholar.
Whether he's teaching students, producing content, or advocating for Oklahoma's creative industries, Lalli remains deeply committed to storytelling that matters and to preparing the next generation of media professionals to do the same.
