View Full Version : What IF the Oklahoman Went Away?



Pages : [1] 2

Doug Loudenback
08-05-2010, 08:59 PM
Interesting discussion going on here ... http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2010/08/05/without-newspapers-you-get-bell/ ... chime in and say what you think.

mugofbeer
08-05-2010, 09:34 PM
Then OKC would be the largest city in the country, by far, to not have a local newspaper.

Personally, I'd love to see the Dallas Morning News start an Oklahoma edition for the entire state (yeah, I know it won't ever happen). It would be fun to see how the circulation of the DOK would plummet.

Soonerus
08-05-2010, 09:37 PM
We need the Oklahoman...

mugofbeer
08-05-2010, 09:38 PM
The Oklahoman needs competition.

stlokc
08-05-2010, 10:10 PM
I am beyond frustrated. I just tried to post 2 lengthy comments to Steve's blog, and both times an error wiped out my whole post. I guess it's because I'm trying to do this on an Iphone.
What I wrote was that Steve is correct in his assertion about newspapers exposing corruption, but I think there is something more fundamental than that. A daily newspaper, at it's best, serves to unify a community. It is the only institution set up to do this. Think about it: Aubrey Mclendon picks up an Oklahoman, and a janitor or shoe shine boy picks up an Oklahoman, and they are involved in the same conversation. It unifies the community. Look at broadcast news, I'm too young to remember the days of Cronkite when there could be a national conversation based on the same facts. Today you have one segment of the population that turns to Fox, another that swears by MSNBC, and look at how polarized the country is. People seek out the facts and opinions that only serve their side of an argument. It used to be just opinions, now people are presented with completely different facts. Only a general subscription, daily newspaper is in a position to be the kind of "town square" that seeks commonality. For all of us who love OKC Talk (and I do) the reality is this site's visitors are a tiny fraction of the community. We need newspapers who try, at their best, to be inclusive of everybody (even those, gasp, that don't go on-line at all). We can't lose daily newspapers. I, for one, subscribe to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, even though I don't always read it, primarily to support this mission.

okcpulse
08-05-2010, 10:20 PM
Then OKC would be the largest city in the country, by far, to not have a local newspaper.

Personally, I'd love to see the Dallas Morning News start an Oklahoma edition for the entire state (yeah, I know it won't ever happen). It would be fun to see how the circulation of the DOK would plummet.

Ummm... no. Local competition would be better. I have and will always see Dallas as enemy territory, and I prefer their tentacles stay out of the state of Oklahoma.

adaniel
08-05-2010, 10:38 PM
Personally, I'd love to see the Dallas Morning News start an Oklahoma edition for the entire state (yeah, I know it won't ever happen). It would be fun to see how the circulation of the DOK would plummet.

The DMN and its parent company Belo are in just as bad if not worse financial straights then OPUBCO.

Local media, when it was in a healthier state, served as an important watchdog for the doings of the people in power, whether that was in business or government. On the other hand I can't really say the DOK has ever been known for its hard hitting journalism and earth shattering exposes.

Don't get me wrong, the DOK does do a lot of things right. If the community lost it, it would be a blow to the community's fiber. You only need to look at the numerous small towns that have already lost their papers. Where would you go for local high school sports or community announcements or local business news? And don't say "I'll just watch TV," because you cannot cram a whole metro area's happenings in a 30 minute flash (and sadly, even local news is probably next on the chopping block after newspapers in media realignment.). The "town square" analogy is spot on.

I just remember how excited I was when in the eight grade I got in the newspaper over a choir concert at my middle school and I have to think that future generations will probably never experience that, unless Rachael Maddow or Bill O'Reily suddenly take interest in choir concerts in North Texas. And I'm only 24! Its kinda funny how fast things can change.

jmarkross
08-05-2010, 11:01 PM
There are all sorts of reasons why people want to see newspapers like the Oklahoman keep going...but they are all doomed, in any city. The cost of paper and printing and delivery are quickly tipping over into the loss side--compared to the revenue they can generate, the delivery of such weight is a thing of the past. A weekly for each large city--done in tabloid or magazine style is the only viable alternative. News has long since been gone from newspapers in the sense of immediacy. TV and the internet have almost completely replaced them. Advertising dollars are not sufficient to support the production of newspapers as we know them today. It is as simple as that. Many will moan and yell and scream...but unless people want to pay a *whole* lot more--they are dead. They are, in today's world, a poor use of resources as well. One must avoid being emotional about progress, why?--they isn't anything you can do about it. I think the Oklahoman MIGHT have an extended life as a weekly publication...but daily delivery is lunacy in 2010. The Oklahoman could perhaps make an effort to have a comprehensive--well done and run--online service for a charge. People would pay for that. That is why--I think--the Skyline Cam exists today for subscribers only, which is OK, but a lot more would need to be offered to get a substantial subscriber base. But--it also would have a staggering decline in overhead cost. You have to change with the times--they stand still for no one.

Spartan
08-05-2010, 11:08 PM
The Oklahoman needs competition.

The Dallas Morning News is a great newspaper, so much better than the Jokelahoman, but cities the size of OKC, particularly with our poor educational attainment stats, don't do well at supporting a plethora of newspapers. We need to just be happy with the Oklahoman and the Gazette and smaller less relevant papers, and hope that the Oklahoman can improve and remove the 'J' from in front if its nickname.

CO-To-OKC
08-05-2010, 11:22 PM
The idea of any newspaper going away is a bad idea. I'm part of the younger generation that supposedly doesn't care for newspapers, but I make it a point to look through my local newspaper every day. If my newspaper isn't delivered in the morning, I'm out of sorts because reading it is part of my morning routine.

We need newspapers because they are a valuable source for information and they are tangible.

Spartan
08-05-2010, 11:27 PM
I know I would certainly miss being appalled at whatever Jenni Carlson has wrote about that day..

ljbab728
08-05-2010, 11:30 PM
The idea of any newspaper going away is a bad idea. I'm part of the younger generation that supposedly doesn't care for newspapers, but I make it a point to look through my local newspaper every day. If my newspaper isn't delivered in the morning, I'm out of sorts because reading it is part of my morning routine.

We need newspapers because they are a valuable source for information and they are tangible.

I agree. I'm not in the mood to go sit at my computer in the morning before I go to work to catch up on the news. I want to sit in my recliner with my feet up, drinking my orange juice, and reading my paper.

jmarkross
08-06-2010, 12:25 AM
Everyone loves and needs a newspaper--until they have to charge you what it really costs to bring it to you...

jmarkross
08-06-2010, 12:29 AM
The Dallas Morning News is a great newspaper, so much better than the Jokelahoman, but cities the size of OKC, particularly with our poor educational attainment stats, don't do well at supporting a plethora of newspapers. We need to just be happy with the Oklahoman and the Gazette and smaller less relevant papers, and hope that the Oklahoman can improve and remove the 'J' from in front if its nickname.

And the Los Angeles Times makes the Dallas Morning News look like the Hicksville Gazette...and so on...

jmarkross
08-06-2010, 12:31 AM
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h220/ronRonnie_2006/207-1.jpg

Seldom...in my over 60 years...have I seen anyone tell so much about themselves as in this self portrait...so succinctly...

zuluwarrior0760
08-06-2010, 12:40 AM
He succinctly describes himself with that pic in many other posts.
Where are the moderators again???????????????????????

jmarkross
08-06-2010, 12:58 AM
He succinctly describes himself with that pic in many other posts.
Where are the moderators again???????????????????????

Parlor tricks by smaller children...a simple IP ping and some good footwork will bring strangers to the front door...for a long talk...

Spartan
08-06-2010, 01:06 AM
And the Los Angeles Times makes the Dallas Morning News look like the Hicksville Gazette...and so on...

Ha, I disagree.. Morning News makes the LA Times look like Pravda.

bombermwc
08-06-2010, 06:50 AM
Meh, i've managed to survive completely without it for several years...in fact I've never owned a subscription. About the only part I read is the comics if someone has them out at lunch. I'd rather get an unbiased opinion on events from elsewhere. Won't find me giving them a penny of my money....ever.

flintysooner
08-06-2010, 06:55 AM
I really enjoy reading The Oklahoman although I read it on my Kindle. Personally the Kindle is a better experience than the real newspaper but that's just me. I'd miss seeing the real paper if it suddenly were missing and hope it stays around.

adaniel
08-06-2010, 07:15 AM
Meh, i've managed to survive completely without it for several years...in fact I've never owned a subscription. About the only part I read is the comics if someone has them out at lunch. I'd rather get an unbiased opinion on events from elsewhere. Won't find me giving them a penny of my money....ever.

Playing devil's advocate here...what unbiased news source exists anywhere, particularly one that doesn't charge you anything?

bombermwc
08-06-2010, 10:51 AM
I prefer to go with the wider swath...bbc, npr, ap, etc. Gather enough info on my own to formulate on what I get. Not rely on a single reporter who, by human nature, has an opinion. But don't tell me you don't think journalists today write like they did 50 years ago. It's all about sensationalising a spin now instead of reporting.

Pete
08-06-2010, 11:19 AM
Newspapers are one of the few institutions that employ people that actually *report* the news, rather then just talk about it.

The irony is that multi-media in all it's forms is killing the place where most news originates, while at the same time needs it so they have something to talk about. Quite frankly, the same could be said about sites like this one.

BOBTHEBUILDER
08-06-2010, 11:42 AM
The Dallas Morning News is a great newspaper, so much better than the Jokelahoman, but cities the size of OKC, particularly with our poor educational attainment stats, don't do well at supporting a plethora of newspapers. We need to just be happy with the Oklahoman and the Gazette and smaller less relevant papers, and hope that the Oklahoman can improve and remove the 'J' from in front if its nickname.

The only way that the Oklahoman can remove that J is by reporting news without the slant, agenda or spin that they try to put on their stories. Whatever happened to reporting the facts and facts only and letting the readers draw their own conclusions and not the ones the newspaper want you to draw. I quit taking the Oklahoman almost 20 years ago and have came across from one from time to time. The stories now are far worse than they were 20 years ago. I am confident that we have good even great journalist in this city. Let those journalist do their jobs, lets not butcher their stories to have a spin to one side or the other. Until this happens, the Oklahoman reputation will not change....its sad sad sad for oklahomans wanting fair and impartial news coverage.
I would love to see a newspaper come about that would put the Oklahoman out of business, but we know the likelihood of that happening is slim to none.

old okie
08-06-2010, 11:42 AM
We have long discussed about not renewing the Oklahoman, but I like to have a real paper in my hands! There is a feeling of warmth about curling up to read the paper; it is familiar; it is something that transcends all of "instanteousness" [if that's a word] of the media of today.

And besides, whatever would I do for functionality of the paper? How could I refinish furniture, paint little things, do craft projects w/o a paper to put under everything---and yes, suffer the irritation of cleaning "Uncle Eddie's ink," as we call the disgusting black smudges that come off on everything?

I read the paper cover to cover--even the want ads while waiting in doctors' offices; do the puzzles, and of course, read the obits--hoping not to see the names of those I know.

Miss the Daily Oklahoman? Absolutely!

CuatrodeMayo
08-06-2010, 11:51 AM
I'd have to change my homepage address...that is about it.

jmarkross
08-06-2010, 04:41 PM
I really enjoy reading The Oklahoman although I read it on my Kindle. Personally the Kindle is a better experience than the real newspaper but that's just me. I'd miss seeing the real paper if it suddenly were missing and hope it stays around.

I suspect some institutions might do well if they offered a low-cost Kindle-type device (a simple machine--really) with subscription services. It is much wiser than a ton of useless pulp thrown around yards and doorsteps and would offer many explorable possibilities. The same device might be a poor-man's (or disinterested man's) laptop and advertising vehicle to shop or absorb ads on the run. Lots of things it could do--weather reports--you name it. It is the future--there is **zero** vision in hauling an 8-pound Sunday paper around and having to cram landfills with it later...you want to ride a horse to work? There are those who will fight it tooth and nail--to no avail. Printing is a specialty and boutique industry in today's world.

flintysooner
08-06-2010, 05:21 PM
I suspect some institutions might do well if they offered a low-cost Kindle-type device (a simple machine--really) with subscription services. It is much wiser than a ton of useless pulp thrown around yards and doorsteps and would offer many explorable possibilities. The same device might be a poor-man's (or disinterested man's) laptop and advertising vehicle to shop or absorb ads on the run. Lots of things it could do--weather reports--you name it. It is the future--there is **zero** vision in hauling an 8-pound Sunday paper around and having to cram landfills with it later...you want to ride a horse to work? There are those who will fight it tooth and nail--to no avail. Printing is a specialty and boutique industry in today's world.The wifi version now is $139 and the wifi + 3G is $189. At that price I'll probably buy one of each and give my old one to someone else.

jmarkross
08-06-2010, 05:52 PM
The wifi version now is $139 and the wifi + 3G is $189. At that price I'll probably buy one of each and give my old one to someone else.
As an old techno-geek who is retired and has time to spare...I have still not be-Kindled myself. Have waited for the right device (a futile effort--I know--since they change eternally) but I have been looking for a device that is portable that could offer publications...not books really...but it would be nice to have magazines available, like on the internet, but without the hassle of of laptop to wrangle around. It will be fascinating to see what crops up...

flintysooner
08-06-2010, 07:20 PM
As an old techno-geek who is retired and has time to spare...I have still not be-Kindled myself. Have waited for the right device (a futile effort--I know--since they change eternally) but I have been looking for a device that is portable that could offer publications...not books really...but it would be nice to have magazines available, like on the internet, but without the hassle of of laptop to wrangle around. It will be fascinating to see what crops up...I like my Kindle for novels primarily. For me it is just the right size and it works so well that I become lost in the story I'm reading and I'm actually unaware of the medium.

It isn't as good for me for non-fiction although I have read a lot of titles. But for stuff I actually have to study it is not useful at all but thankfully I have very little of that.

I've tried some magazines on it and didn't much like it. Right now I only read Business Week on it and that publication has been made better for the Kindle since I first subscribed. The Oklahoman is the only newspaper I read on it and they've done a pretty good job with it.

I gauge how good my Kindle copy of The Oklahoma is by how much I can discuss with my mother-in-law who reads the conventional paper in great detail. So far I do pretty well.

By the time the Nook came out I already too large a library to consider switching. I never saw any reason to have the Sony.

The iPad seems like it might be a decent device but for me it is just too large for my normal reading and for my laptop work it doesn't seem comfortable to me and besides I have too many of them anyway. And then it just seems too expensive right now.

But that's pretty much my experience.

ljbab728
08-06-2010, 10:30 PM
The only way that the Oklahoman can remove that J is by reporting news without the slant, agenda or spin that they try to put on their stories. Whatever happened to reporting the facts and facts only and letting the readers draw their own conclusions and not the ones the newspaper want you to draw. I quit taking the Oklahoman almost 20 years ago and have came across from one from time to time. The stories now are far worse than they were 20 years ago. I am confident that we have good even great journalist in this city. Let those journalist do their jobs, lets not butcher their stories to have a spin to one side or the other. Until this happens, the Oklahoman reputation will not change....its sad sad sad for oklahomans wanting fair and impartial news coverage.
I would love to see a newspaper come about that would put the Oklahoman out of business, but we know the likelihood of that happening is slim to none.

You obviously remember the paper differently than I do. The amount of slanted articles now don't compare to what we used to see 30 or 40 years ago when the Gaylords were very actively involved.

Larry OKC
08-06-2010, 11:05 PM
OU, Journalism 101: first day of class. "There is no such thing as objective journalism as long as people are involved." There is the bias of the owner, the publisher, the editors, those that make the story assignments, the reporters...

That doesn't mean that they shouldn't try to be objective (presenting "just the facts" but even that is subjective as to which set of facts are used). The best one can hope for is a balanced view (all sides equally represented) and the facts supporting each side also be presented. When facts are obviously erroneous, the media needs to call them on it. Unfortunately, what we often get is the quotable sound bite and no follow up questions are asked. The reporter needs to press for actual answers to the questions asked, instead of the non-answers that often appear (spin, half-truths etc).

In the recent primary, the Oklahoman asked the same set of questions to the candidates for Governor. Some gave non-answers (they sounded good but didn't mean diddly) and others actually went on record, stating their position.

As someone else mentioned, as long as you realize that every media outlet (newspaper, broadcast TV, cable, internet etc etc) has a bias if they realize it them selves or not, you do your best to run the information they present thru that filter.

ljbab728
08-06-2010, 11:14 PM
As someone else mentioned, as long as you realize that every media outlet (newspaper, broadcast TV, cable, internet etc etc) has a bias if they realize it them selves or not, you do your best to run the information they present thru that filter.

That's a very good point. When I read the paper I just skim over opinion or slanted pieces that I know I'm going to disagree with and focus on what is really relevant to me and interests me.

jmarkross
08-07-2010, 02:51 AM
OU, Journalism 101: first day of class. "There is no such thing as objective journalism as long as people are involved." There is the bias of the owner, the publisher, the editors, those that make the story assignments, the reporters...

That doesn't mean that they shouldn't try to be objective (presenting "just the facts" but even that is subjective as to which set of facts are used). The best one can hope for is a balanced view (all sides equally represented) and the facts supporting each side also be presented. When facts are obviously erroneous, the media needs to call them on it. Unfortunately, what we often get is the quotable sound bite and no follow up questions are asked. The reporter needs to press for actual answers to the questions asked, instead of the non-answers that often appear (spin, half-truths etc).

In the recent primary, the Oklahoman asked the same set of questions to the candidates for Governor. Some gave non-answers (they sounded good but didn't mean diddly) and others actually went on record, stating their position.

As someone else mentioned, as long as you realize that every media outlet (newspaper, broadcast TV, cable, internet etc etc) has a bias if they realize it them selves or not, you do your best to run the information they present thru that filter.

Though the methods communication have changed some...the news is not unlike it always has been. There are probably too many facets to any discussion to have any one source to inform you. Your only hope is to have a very keen ability to "sift" the info and 'reconstruct' the 'truth' from your own perspective. Triangulation is essential. The whole of historical records is the same way. It is then further subject to interpretation...the only thing that can please many is dogma...cut and dried...and they seek it out and then cleave unto it as holy-writ. I think the weakness is the desire to have absolutes--games with set rules, with scoring and penalties...a nice thought--foolish in the extreme though. Fortunately, today we do have many sources to cobble together ideas from...but they lead to most people's greatest enemy--"sensory overload" that fries their minds and they retreat into oblivion--or become "college students". That is what occurs in Washington, D.C. Mindless prattle about this and that, none of it making any sense.

BOBTHEBUILDER
08-07-2010, 04:42 PM
You obviously remember the paper differently than I do. The amount of slanted articles now don't compare to what we used to see 30 or 40 years ago when the Gaylords were very actively involved.

Unless you were alive and reading these articles 30 or 40 years ago, how do you know that they were slanted or not? We can agree to disagree, but you need to remember that those have the power and influence in the media are going to support and further their own agendas. To insinuate that these media related persons dont have an agenda is absolutely naive on your part. It would be nice the read or listen to media that doesnt have a predetermined agenda, spin or angle.

flintysooner
08-07-2010, 05:21 PM
So it seems several of you would be delighted for The Oklahoman to go away.

Spartan
08-07-2010, 06:10 PM
So it seems several of you would be delighted for The Oklahoman to go away.

It's a wish that seems to be predicated on the assumption that the city would support journalism either way. Support for journalism would go on, is what anti-Oklahoman people would say. If you're not supporting bad journalism I guess you might be more likely to support good journalism.

kevinpate
08-07-2010, 06:45 PM
... It would be nice the read or listen to media that doesnt have a predetermined agenda, spin or angle.

That it would. Can't think of anywhere off the top of my noggin' where that would be possible, but yeah, it would be interesting, at least for a while.
However, I do wonder whether, if it was all presented 100% spin free, we wouldn't in turn spin it when we discussed it amongst friends and fam over drinks, dinner, water coolers, fish-n-chips, burgers, pasta, etc.

jmarkross
08-07-2010, 08:16 PM
Unless you were alive and reading these articles 30 or 40 years ago, how do you know that they were slanted or not? We can agree to disagree, but you need to remember that those have the power and influence in the media are going to support and further their own agendas. To insinuate that these media related persons dont have an agenda is absolutely naive on your part. It would be nice the read or listen to media that doesnt have a predetermined agenda, spin or angle.
I remember the Oklahoman quite well from the 1960's--in fact, I worked there in the composing room in 1967. It was a pretty fair-minded paper in the news area--and all opinion was STRICTLY on the editorial page--where it belongs. E.K. ran things that way.

Spartan
08-07-2010, 08:43 PM
I remember the Oklahoman quite well from the 1960's--in fact, I worked there in the composing room in 1967. It was a pretty fair-minded paper in the news area

Hey, wait a minute.. Weren't they still using the "n-word" back then?


E.K. ran things that way.

Oh, I don't doubt that... (roll eyes)

jmarkross
08-07-2010, 09:10 PM
Hey, wait a minute.. Weren't they still using the "n-word" back then?



Oh, I don't doubt that... (roll eyes)

Poor dear child...no they did not use the n-word--as you call it. Or deprecations of any other kind. This was the pre-Saul Alinsky, pre-Post Viet Nam War era BEFORE snotty nosed left-wingers, SDS members, so-called "liberals" (ha) worthless J-school hacks, genetically plastered with drugs and attitude existed. And--don't presume to correct me on these things...I was a student at OU and working at the Oklahoman at night in those salad days of hippiedom. This was before Pell grants--when you worked your way through college if they folks did not cough up the dough. Today's press is the product of precisely what I saw happening at that time--and the sheer lunacy of the blithering idiot Obama and the inexperienced crowd he has dragged with him to destroy the nation is the product of these scum. They were not journalists then--they are not now. They are universally know-it-alls, smarty-panted worthless fops who talk a lot about nothing and know even less. They are so brilliant--they can SOLVE poverty! Just give poor people MONEY! How wise! Of course--then comes the problem...WHOSE MONEY! Wake up.

skyrick
08-07-2010, 09:23 PM
Ha, I disagree.. Morning News makes the LA Times look like Pravda.

I have to agree with you Spartan. I've had the opportunity to be exposed to several newspapers over the years; from 3 months of the LA Times on an extended visit to lala land, Boston Globe 2 weeks at a time about a dozen times in the last 20 years, Tulsa World for about 6 years, the Oklahoman for 30 years and the Dallas Morning News for the last 22 years.

DMN is, hands down, the best of the lot. The best Sports section in the country, too.

Spartan
08-07-2010, 10:01 PM
That's what I'm talking about. I definitely agree about the sports section. Maybe I'd say the Denver Post is tied for sports. I've also always liked the Houston Chronicle, a very good newspaper for everything except sports it seems, which is a little lame.

A smaller newspaper that's well-known for some good investigative journalism might be the St Petersburg Times (Fla), ironic for its name I guess. The Tulsa Whirled is actually the only newspaper I can think of that is worse than the Daily Oklahoman.

Throw out the Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Washington Post, USA Today, etc..

ljbab728
08-07-2010, 10:28 PM
Unless you were alive and reading these articles 30 or 40 years ago, how do you know that they were slanted or not? We can agree to disagree, but you need to remember that those have the power and influence in the media are going to support and further their own agendas. To insinuate that these media related persons dont have an agenda is absolutely naive on your part. It would be nice the read or listen to media that doesnt have a predetermined agenda, spin or angle.

I assure you I was alive and reading those articles 30 or 40 years ago. I made no assertion about anyone in the media and their agendas so why would I be naive about that.

ljbab728
08-07-2010, 10:31 PM
I remember the Oklahoman quite well from the 1960's--in fact, I worked there in the composing room in 1967. It was a pretty fair-minded paper in the news area--and all opinion was STRICTLY on the editorial page--where it belongs. E.K. ran things that way.

You seemed to forget that front page editorials were not unusual. I remember them well. They never appeared to be written quite as well as the ones on the editorial page which always led me to believe that Gaylord wrote them himself. Maybe not, it just seemed that way.

Prunepicker
08-07-2010, 10:39 PM
I believe the Oklahoman has gone too far left.

Look at the front page. The focal point is nothing but touchy,
feely and idiotic human interest crap. Who in the world wants to
read touchy, feely human interest crap?

I don't!

I want to read "The illusion of a president, BO, Stinks!" I want
to read NEWS. Not human interest BS.

We take the Oklahoman for the shopping coupons. The day that
it doesn't have more coupons that it's worth to subscribe is the
day we end our subscription to the Oklahoman.

BO Stinks. The Oklahoman should announce that on the Front
Page every single morning!

If the Oklahoman returns to being a good newspaper, i.e. isn't
liberal by any stretch of the imagination, then we'll subscribe more
than the Sunday and Wednesday papers. As long as the DO
doesn't say that BO Stinks then you can forget anything else.

ljbab728
08-08-2010, 12:00 AM
I believe the Oklahoman has gone too far left.

Look at the front page. The focal point is nothing but touchy,
feely and idiotic human interest crap. Who in the world wants to
read touchy, feely human interest crap?

I don't!

I want to read "The illusion of a president, BO, Stinks!" I want
to read NEWS. Not human interest BS.

We take the Oklahoman for the shopping coupons. The day that
it doesn't have more coupons that it's worth to subscribe is the
day we end our subscription to the Oklahoman.

BO Stinks. The Oklahoman should announce that on the Front
Page every single morning!

If the Oklahoman returns to being a good newspaper, i.e. isn't
liberal by any stretch of the imagination, then we'll subscribe more
than the Sunday and Wednesday papers. As long as the DO
doesn't say that BO Stinks then you can forget anything else.

You can get most of those same coupons on the internet, prunepicker, so feel free to cancel your subscription.

UnclePete
08-08-2010, 02:47 AM
Quote:

In Oklahoma, the Tulsa World, a.m. and the Tulsa Tribune, p.m. publish better newspapers than the larger monopoly conbination, The Daily Oklahoman and Oklahoma City Times, due largely to lack of competition, tighter squeeze on news space, complacency, and the sophomoric interest of sub-editors in blood, bootleggers and bistros.

Written by Walter M. Harrison, December 1, 1954.

Recommended reading: "Me and My Big Mouth" by Walter M. Harrison copyright, 1954. Mr. Harrison was E. K. Gaylord's managing editor.

jmarkross
08-08-2010, 07:14 AM
You seemed to forget that front page editorials were not unusual. I remember them well. They never appeared to be written quite as well as the ones on the editorial page which always led me to believe that Gaylord wrote them himself. Maybe not, it just seemed that way.

E.K. virtually never wrote any editorials when I was there...now--his son E.K. Jr. may well have, he was an odd duck by any measurement. His connection with the paper was mostly due to DNA, he was in no way the man his Dad was. I had the pleasure of knowing E.K. when I worked at OPUBCO and shortly thereafter when I worked for OCURA and he was on the Board there. He was well over 90 then--but--still pretty together. Newspapers today are worthless almost completely...filled with mindless drivel...a typical front page lead-in..."It was late in the evening when little Kathy heard her mother calling for her weenie dog Sparky--but--he was gone...run down by a uncaring and speeding motorist." If THAT kind of crap passes as journalism--GOD help us. Every story starts by some ignorant brain-dead "journalist" seething to unleash their hopelessly inane opinions onto the world...after they have exhausted their bird-brained attempts at being famous dime-novelists...they graduate at about 24 years old to being world scholars and political geniuses, supporting every liberal cause that someone--whom they follow like good Nazis--tells them to. Why--because then they are self-appointed "good" people who "care" more than anyone else on the planet. They gather in gaggles and coo for helping everyone on Earth with someone else's tax money--whilst keeping their own geetz quite secure for a bag of some kind of drugs to get them wired up--not wasting a dime on anyone but themselves. The hypocrisy is staggering. It is hopeless. I suspect maybe TV programs have driven people mad with preposterous ideas and, after all, they adore anything espoused by Hollywood like it was holy-writ and as intellect has gone into a fatal nose-dive, they have run wildly down the pier and jumped aboard the Titanic, not to be accused of "missing the boat"!

Laramie
08-08-2010, 07:35 AM
I renew my subscription ever 26-weeks. I'm use to seeing print and can't imagine reading everything on-line. I spend 60 minutes on the computer a day and as far as I'm concerned that's enough (not good for my eye-sight). Stay away from on-line banking!

Boy, who would have ever thought that the internet would bring down the post office and the daily papers.

As far as the Dallas Morning News or the Fort Worth Star-Telegram let Texas keep their papers; I moved back here to get away from the madness.

I'm keeping the Oklahoman and its few flaws.

That's why Texas is outdoing Oklahoma because they love it when we run down there and spend our money; they're laughing at us all the way to the bank.

Doug Loudenback
08-08-2010, 08:47 AM
I believe the Oklahoman has gone too far left.

Look at the front page. The focal point is nothing but touchy,
feely and idiotic human interest crap. Who in the world wants to
read touchy, feely human interest crap?

I don't!

I want to read "The illusion of a president, BO, Stinks!" I want
to read NEWS. Not human interest BS.

We take the Oklahoman for the shopping coupons. The day that
it doesn't have more coupons that it's worth to subscribe is the
day we end our subscription to the Oklahoman.

BO Stinks. The Oklahoman should announce that on the Front
Page every single morning!

If the Oklahoman returns to being a good newspaper, i.e. isn't
liberal by any stretch of the imagination, then we'll subscribe more
than the Sunday and Wednesday papers. As long as the DO
doesn't say that BO Stinks then you can forget anything else.
Aw, shucks, Prunepicker guy. Form some right wing opinions, would you? :ohno:

skyrick
08-08-2010, 08:54 AM
I believe the Oklahoman has gone too far left.

Look at the front page. The focal point is nothing but touchy,
feely and idiotic human interest crap. Who in the world wants to
read touchy, feely human interest crap?

I don't!

I want to read "The illusion of a president, BO, Stinks!" I want
to read NEWS. Not human interest BS.

We take the Oklahoman for the shopping coupons. The day that
it doesn't have more coupons that it's worth to subscribe is the
day we end our subscription to the Oklahoman.

BO Stinks. The Oklahoman should announce that on the Front
Page every single morning!

If the Oklahoman returns to being a good newspaper, i.e. isn't
liberal by any stretch of the imagination, then we'll subscribe more
than the Sunday and Wednesday papers. As long as the DO
doesn't say that BO Stinks then you can forget anything else.

LOL! Only you (or Kerry) could call the Oklahoman liberal and not sound like you're joking!

old okie
08-08-2010, 09:13 AM
E.K. virtually never wrote any editorials when I was there...now--his son E.K. Jr. may well have, he was an odd duck by any measurement. His connection with the paper was mostly due to DNA, he was in no way the man his Dad was. I had the pleasure of knowing E.K. when I worked at OPUBCO and shortly thereafter when I worked for OCURA and he was on the Board there. He was well over 90 then--but--still pretty together. Newspapers today are worthless almost completely...filled with mindless drivel...a typical front page lead-in..."It was late in the evening when little Kathy heard her mother calling for her weenie dog Sparky--but--he was gone...run down by a uncaring and speeding motorist." If THAT kind of crap passes as journalism--GOD help us. Every story starts by some ignorant brain-dead "journalist" seething to unleash their hopelessly inane opinions onto the world...after they have exhausted their bird-brained attempts at being famous dime-novelists...they graduate at about 24 years old to being world scholars and political geniuses, supporting every liberal cause that someone--whom they follow like good Nazis--tells them to. Why--because then they are self-appointed "good" people who "care" more than anyone else on the planet. They gather in gaggles and coo for helping everyone on Earth with someone else's tax money--whilst keeping their own geetz quite secure for a bag of some kind of drugs to get them wired up--not wasting a dime on anyone but themselves. The hypocrisy is staggering. It is hopeless. I suspect maybe TV programs have driven people mad with preposterous ideas and, after all, they adore anything espoused by Hollywood like it was holy-writ and as intellect has gone into a fatal nose-dive, they have run wildly down the pier and jumped aboard the Titanic, not to be accused of "missing the boat"!


Without a doubt, your comments are spot on! I was laughing so hard at your "typical front page lead-in" that I would have ruined the keyboard had I been drinking anything at the time! THAT was a GREAT analysis!

And while we're on the topic, we want to see Carrie Coppernoll and Bryan Painter's PICTURES disappear from the paper! Talk about ego-involved pseudo-"journalists"! Egad.

old okie
08-08-2010, 09:16 AM
Today, there "appears" to be an actual "investigative journalistic" report--about campaign financing--on the front page. Amazing.

But I did read the entire paper--not the ad inserts, unless for a store I patronize--I like having a "real" paper.

old okie
08-08-2010, 09:26 AM
I believe the Oklahoman has gone too far left.

Look at the front page. The focal point is nothing but touchy,
feely and idiotic human interest crap. Who in the world wants to
read touchy, feely human interest crap?

I don't!

Prune, you are right on about the "touchy, feely" stuff. That isn't "journalism" and has no business on the front page--or in the main section of the paper. We want NEWS! Since you take the Sunday paper, perhaps you read today's piece about the campaign financing and about the salary at the shelter. THAT'S what we're looking to read. It's local, it's relevant, and it's something that "they" glide over--if mentioned at all--on the local TV news reports. We want STATE and LOCAL information. We can't rely on the local TV stations; for the most part, they are worse than the DO.

I don't have time to sit for hours pouring over the Internet; I don't have the eyesight to stare at a computer screen for hours to find a few things of interest.

And yes, I "trimmed" your post to fit; NO disagreement or disrespect--actually do agree. Just want to stress the value of having someone talk about STATE and LOCAL issues.

jmarkross
08-08-2010, 09:40 AM
Alas, gents, investigative journalism resides on the ash-heap of history. Perhaps the culprit is the basic K-12 educational system and the unimaginable morass of political correctness it has become. When I was a kid--if you popped off to a teacher--she would blast back to your seat and give you a five-finger "what-for" and you'd never do it twice. This is the product of liberals and colleges that are **absolutely** owned by the far-far-far-far left teachers who could NEVER make a living on the open market. I am too old to care much about the future--but I think someone ought to. Things are going down the ****ter at a terrifying speed...and just look at that zoo in Washington, DC if you want to see what can happen...makes me quite happy to exit this world fairly soon...I won't miss the nation as it is today.

bluedogok
08-08-2010, 10:44 AM
BO Stinks.
I know...makes you want to buy someone some soap and deodorant.....:lol2:

flintysooner
08-08-2010, 12:21 PM
I am concerned about content and who is going to provide it if there are no newspapers.

And from The Oklahoman I want more articles that are local and in depth. And actually I feel like The Oklahoman does a pretty good job of that although I'd like more.

I do recognize that bias is as much in the eye of the reader as it is in the provider. So there's a group that will always think the news is slanted one way or another. So far though I think there are more of us capable of reading things fairly.

Added: Another thing I've found interesting is that a lot of most vocal critics of The Oklahoman actually do not read the paper but start their criticism early.

Spartan
08-08-2010, 12:35 PM
Alas, gents, investigative journalism resides on the ash-heap of history. Perhaps the culprit is the basic K-12 educational system and the unimaginable morass of political correctness it has become. When I was a kid--if you popped off to a teacher--she would blast back to your seat and give you a five-finger "what-for" and you'd never do it twice. This is the product of liberals and colleges that are **absolutely** owned by the far-far-far-far left teachers who could NEVER make a living on the open market. I am too old to care much about the future--but I think someone ought to. Things are going down the ****ter at a terrifying speed...and just look at that zoo in Washington, DC if you want to see what can happen...makes me quite happy to exit this world fairly soon...I won't miss the nation as it is today.

This reads like a suicide letter.... don't do it man.

Larry OKC
08-08-2010, 03:04 PM
Have to keep the Oklahoman around. As far as I know they are one of the few papers that print the daily comics in color!