http://www.newsok.com/ed-kelley-to-become-editor-of-the-washington-times/article/3575985?custom_click=lead_story_title

A man of great character, intellect and reserve. He'll be missed.

Nah

Here's the parallel story in the Washington Times: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jun/10/ed-kelley-named-new-top-editor-washington-times/

According to its own description there, the Washington Times is a politically conservative paper, and it says this (http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/douglas-dm-joo/) about its own history:


The Washington Times, a newspaper that has served the nation's capital and a worldwide readership for 28 years, has been sold to a group operating on behalf of the paper's founder, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

At this link (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/nov/2/moon-group-buys-washington-times/), the November 2, 2010, Washington Times gives more background:


The Washington Times, a newspaper that has served the nation’s capital and a worldwide readership for 28 years, has been sold to a group operating on behalf of the paper’s founder, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon. The new owners promised the paper will continue to provide a robust voice in current affairs.

“We’ll continue to keep the highest standard in journalistic excellence in this leading democratic country that upholds the values of freedom, faith, family and service,” said Douglas D.M. Joo, speaking on behalf of the five-member board that will oversee The Times.

Mr. Joo said the paper will expand its print and multimedia products, and will boost circulation and offerings such as sports, metropolitan news and entertainment coverage.

Editor-at-large Arnaud de Borchgrave said he was “elated to hear that the newspaper I had the privilege of editing for almost seven years is back in fighting trim after a patch of rough weather.” Mr. de Borchgrave, who helmed the paper during the 1980s, said it “will continue to be a vital voice in reporting domestic and foreign stories frequently ignored by the dominant media culture.”

The deal to sell The Times to TWT Holdings, which is owned by HSA-UWC, was finalized Monday evening. It comes at the end of a complex year for the paper, which underwent a management shuffle, staff and circulation cuts, and now is once again being led by many of those who operated the paper before the transfer.

http://media.washtimes.com/media/image/2010/11/02/TWT_BUILDING_2_s220x145.jpg?270279696e08754454a6ef 9744927f733320208dThe Washington Times' building on New York Avenue in Washington, D.C.

The selling price was $1, plus assumption of liabilities, which the new owners said will be paid from an escrow account.

Mr. Joo said the paper benefited over the years from a “considerable amount of financial support” from Rev. Moon, the founder of the worldwide Unification Church. He said that commitment remains strong.

Not having heard of the Washington Times before, Googling the name produced this Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Washington_Times). Reading through it causes me to wonder how Mr. Kelley sees this move ... and also causes me to wonder why he is making it.

He certainly does appear to me to have done a more than decent job as editor of the Oklahoman, perhaps better than his predecessors. I wish him well and hope that he does not come to regret this move.

Not a fan, sorry to hear he's coming this way, sigh. Kind of a homer kinda guy

Ed has work experience, business contacts and family members in the District, so it's a natural fit. The Times has been reorganized in the past year and likely restructured their revenue model (I didn't look for pay walls and the like on their site), so Ed will find a new direction with few surprises. The Washington Times has been a conservative foil to the Post for 30 years. As to the Unification Church angle of Rev. Moon, I don't see much in that. The owners of the Oklahoman are Episcopalians, yet they've devoted more articles and inches to local Catholic parishes than any other in the past few months.

I suppose that people will read in this what they want, but Ed's a smart guy and had many reasons to stay here; a move to the Times obviously presented him with more opportunities, whatever they are.

... He certainly does appear to me to have done a more than decent job as editor of the Oklahoman, perhaps better than his predecessors. ...

I have no quarrel with the man, and will simply note I canna recall a time before Kelley when I read a DOK OpEd piece and thought 'well, spot on."

The Oklahoma was definitely more progressive under Kelly and I hope that trend continues with his replacement.

The Washington Time is an absolute rag of a paper and is a complete joke. It's owned by the Rev Sun Myung Moon and is used to further his political and religious beliefs, which include him being the second coming of Jesus.

It makes me wonder what the state of affairs really is at The Dark Tower these days.

It makes me wonder what the state of affairs really is at The Dark Tower these days. I have friends who are publishers of a newspaper in a suburb of OKC who have told me that the Daily Oklahoma is up for sale? The source is very reliable.

The Washington Time is an absolute rag of a paper and is a complete joke. It's owned by the Rev Sun Myung Moon and is used to further his political and religious beliefs, which include him being the second coming of Jesus.

Sounds like the Washington Times will be a great fit for Mr. Kelley, then, having been editor of a newspaper that features a prayer to Jesus on the front page each day.

I've heard the up-for-sale report as well, but I have no idea why the person who told me would know anything about it. Is anyone buying metro dailies now?

A lot of people regularly buy subscription copies of the Oklahoman, me included, and that's true for most of my residential neighbors. I don't have the idea that subscription or single copy revenue is the issue ... instead, advertising revenues appears to be the main problem, as I understand it, but it may well be both. Have you noticed how few pages are now devoted to classified ads compared with years gone by ... the number of pages for the same is way down. Now, my neighbors are largely in the over-50 demographic, and I don't know if my personal experience matches those who are younger.

Sounds like the Washington Times will be a great fit for Mr. Kelley, then, having been editor of a newspaper that features a prayer to Jesus on the front page each day.
I understand what you are saying, but your comment does not give due regard for Kelley, in my opinion. In his tenure as Oklahoman Editor, he has taken several progressive stances, many more than his predecessors in office did. He may prove to be too "liberal" (in context) for the Washington Times.

Now, my neighbors are largely in the over-50 demographic, and I don't know if my personal experience matches those who are younger.

I'm 26. I don't know a single person my age that has a newspaper delivery subscription. I think that is pretty common too.

I'm 26. I don't know a single person my age that has a newspaper delivery subscription. I think that is pretty common too.

Near on double that, and only recently restarted a wed + weekend special rate subscription for a year. Was cheaper to do that than buy online, plus the lovely and the eldest have come down with a coupon bug, and I dinna want the lovely out seeking coupons from strangers on the street, lol

Although I don't always agree with their opinions and there is always room for improvement, I've been a pretty big fan of the Oklahoman over the years. Their on-line presence is particularly progressive and they do a good job of covering local business and sports, the two areas where it's hard to find information elsewhere.

But I'm worried about them. The industry as a whole is really suffering but OPUBCO has laid off tons of people recently and I'm hoping this latest development is not an indication of a sinking ship.

For all the abuse aimed at it (most of it mis-guided IMO) losing that publication would be devastating to the community.

I apparently have assumed more subscribe than do, if the above responses are a good measure. I don't know if the Oklahoman publishes circulation numbers like it once did (right under the front page banner, as I recall).

I apparently have assumed more subscribe than do, if the above responses are a good measure. I don't know if the Oklahoman publishes circulation numbers like it once did (right under the front page banner, as I recall).

I don't know either, Doug. What I do know is that if Mr. G (the original, who died at 103) were still around the situation would be quite different.

He was still running things when I went to work on the rim at the Times back in late 1955; spent four years there, the last three on the Oklahoman as staff writer and finally police reporter, and left in 1959. At that time, it was a strong and vigorous publication. Sure, its coverage was slanted, but the slant was solely in the choice of what items would see print. My city editor told me at one time "It isn't news until we print it" and that was the general attitude. It was also true that endorsement of an issue via a front-page editorial was essentially a kiss of death for that issue, because so many of the readers automatically opposed anything that OPubCo was for.

I supported them for more than 50 years, through thick and thin. However the quality went so far down about a year ago that I finally canceled my subscription. By the time it did, 8 pages was not an uncommon size for the Monday edition. We did more than that at the Daily Ardmoreite when I worked there!

These days I get most of my news over the web, from the BBC, and local news from the TV screen and from the forums here. I'm sorry to hear that "the great moral daily" (as the late Roy Stewart used to call it) is up for sale, but they'll be lucky to find anyone to take it off their hands! They long ago exhausted all their good will and are now coasting on inertia.

I'm just glad that Ralph Sewell, Dave Funderburk, and Chan Guffey haven't survived to see what has happened to the institution they knew and loved.

Good comments, Jim. I've sent you a PM.

I cannot imagine that this move is entirely due to Kelley's interest in working for the Washington Times. It is not a well-regarded publication. One wonders if something internal occurred to give Mr. Kelley pause to continue working there.

A lot of people regularly buy subscription copies of the Oklahoman, me included, and that's true for most of my residential neighbors. I don't have the idea that subscription or single copy revenue is the issue ... instead, advertising revenues appears to be the main problem, as I understand it, but it may well be both. Have you noticed how few pages are now devoted to classified ads compared with years gone by ... the number of pages for the same is way down. Now, my neighbors are largely in the over-50 demographic, and I don't know if my personal experience matches those who are younger.

As someone who works for a business that occasionally advertises in the Oklahoman I can tell that the paper is notorious for having some of the highest advertising rates in the country. I suspect that plays a part in declining ads.

I just hope the replacement will move more away from the history of the Daily Jokelehoman. Whatever "progress" that was made while he was there, is still a joke. The paper is failing and they aren't doing what they need to in order for it to stay afloat. When the "dark tower" empties out because they can't pay for the reporters, then you'll see an even worse product (which is hard to believe).

I'm not looking for it to compete with a national paper or anything. I just want it to be worth something. You see better business articles out of OKC Business and the Journal Record. And as long as someone like Jennie Carlson is writing for sports, you know exactly what sort of crap articles you're going to read. We've got crap that's more opinion than fact all over the paper. Like so much media, the act or reporting is gone and the "articles" are almost a blog on a given topic for the day. Help educate the people on issues going on in the legislature for one. No one has any idea on what they are voting for because there isn't anything that tells them about it. Most people get their 2 minute short on the local news and that's it....not enough to form an educated opinion to vote with. SPELL THINGS CORRECTLY!!!! OMG, it bugs the crap out of me when EVERY time i pick up the paper, I find something misspelled or just plainly edited poorly. Something that might help is taking a look at the volume of information that goes into a normal daily. Is it took much? Are you making a quantity over quality decision? Most cities I visit don't have nearly the amount of extra "crap" sections in there. The less paper in there, the better the cost/profit per paper is too. The list goes on and on with what could be done, I'm just picking some low hanging fruit here. It's just sad that the thing is putting itself out to pasture and they don't seem that worried about it.

FYI - even though many local papers were put out of business by the sheer volume of the Daily Joke, just about every single one of those papers were a better paper. See the "Oklahoma Journal" for example.

Anyone else also notice that they turned the comment option off for his article? Hmmm, wonder why.

The Washington Times is like the Washington Post's ugly stepchild. There is one big paper in DC - the Post. The Post has over 500,000 daily circulation (nearly double that on Sundays) while the Times has a little under 50,000. I really hope Ed is successful, but I fear that this is a poor move for him.

Well, we still have Friday, the Gazette, and the Sentinel -- and unfortunately I agree with you that they're all doing better journalism than the ex-behemoth.

Several years ago, Columbia University compiled a list of the "worst newspapers in the country" and our city's representative led the list. At the time, I defended it to my colleagues (editors of a small national magazine) but I must admit now that it deserves that honor. Watching its death throes is painful...

As someone who works for a business that occasionally advertises in the Oklahoman I can tell that the paper is notorious for having some of the highest advertising rates in the country. I suspect that plays a part in declining ads.

Well that certainly seems more plausible than the unprecedented disruption and fragmentation of ALL media, initiated by social media and compounded by the worst economic crash in modern history (or vice versa depending on who you ask).

It never ceases to amaze me how many people have so many negative things to say about issues they know nothing about and with which they have no personal involvement. I can assure you that if you continue to wish to hasten the demise of the "dark tower" as you so lovingly refer to it, you will not enjoy the vacuum it creates in this city. Not simply as a newspaper, but more importantly as the philanthropic entity it is. I believe Pete previously alluded to something similar.

The funniest part of all of this is how many positive comments I have heard about from members of competing media about how great The Oklahoman has been over the last several years and more recently, specific praise from a radio "legend" on what an amazing job the sports team has done covering the Thunder.

all local papers across the country are in terrible fincial shape and are dying ... really on the few big nationals are doing ok .. wall st journal usatody ... thats about it

Since I'm the OP, I'm exercising my prerogative to continue the thread hijack away from Ed Kelley and discuss the newspaper industry as a whole!

As a daily print publication, the DO gives me a consistent, trustworthy product not unlike most others. All lean one way or another, those leanings are recognized, and people consume their products with the desired filters in place. I read the DO, WSJ & NYT every day, listen to NPR, and watch the NBC Nightly News, and I know what I'm getting from each, including their slant. But through it all they have institutional standards and heritages worth defending and paying for, and frankly do not exist with the likes of bloggers and aggregators. As an advertising medium, I don't find value in the Oklahoman so I don't put my money there, and lost revenue is the greatest threat facing the industry today. But the alternative is Breitbart and HuffPo, so just understand that you're starting down the path taken by airline deregulators years ago. Don't be surprised one day when you wake up with a less expensive product, but (metaphorically) one that comes with smaller seats, fuller cabins, fees for everything that used to be included in the price, and flown by people who are barely in their 20's.

At lest 80% of newspaper revenues come from advertising and when you look at the numbers, it's nothing short of shocking.

Even though the internet has been a strong force for over a decade, newspaper ad revenues held their ground pretty well until 2005. Since then (at least through 2010) it has been more than cut in half from about $46 billion to about $22 billion. What's worse, is that they are continuing to loose 20-30% every year!

The bad economy has hurt as well as on-line competition but while advertising is down in all media, it's nothing like what newspapers are seeing.

Classified ads used to bring in over $20 billion a year alone, now it's less than $6 billion and dropping like a stone. That number will go down to next to nothing in another few years. The 'net is just a vastly superior medium for this sort of thing and is generally much cheaper and often even free.

Here are some more scary stats: 26% of all newspaper subscribers are over 65; 43% are over 55 and 64% (!) are over 45.


Many papers are already in bankruptcy with lots more headed there. There isn't an easy answer to any of this... I suppose the trend will be towards big, centralized on-line news outlets using free-lance reporters and writers in various markets.

THe Friday is a joke

True -- before The Skipper died, though, it was quite different. The Gazette at times seems to be almost a spoof, they try so hard to be the opposite of OPubCo. IMO the Sentinel is the best of the three, and not only because it's run by a real journalist and alumnus of the Empire of Gaylord...

Speculation in this thread is rampant. Let's see if there are any available objective facts ...


Kelley leaves the Oklahoman to assume his same relative role in the Washington Times.

The Washington Times is a not particularly well-regarded newspaper in Washington D.C., operated under the ownership of the Moon organization.

The Washington Times has a much lower circulation than does the Oklahoman.

Kelley leaves the Oklahoman by his own choice.

Now, what does that all add up to?

THe Friday is a joke

Yep. I distinctly remember an issue of Friday from my college years in which there were photos posted from a "poverty party," a cotillion of rich Nichols Hills folks dressed up in "poverty" fare. I found this to be one of the most disgusting things I'd ever seen. For reference, this was in 1990. Yes, in 1990, Nichols Hills denizens thought it somehow appropriate to dress up as poor folks for a riotous party theme.

True -- before The Skipper died, though, it was quite different. The Gazette at times seems to be almost a spoof, they try so hard to be the opposite of OPubCo. IMO the Sentinel is the best of the three, and not only because it's run by a real journalist and alumnus of the Empire of Gaylord...

Oh dear God, get a grip. Pat Mcguigan is not a journalist under any objective analysis.

Well, we still have Friday, the Gazette, and the Sentinel -- and unfortunately I agree with you that they're all doing better journalism than the ex-behemoth.

Several years ago, Columbia University compiled a list of the "worst newspapers in the country" and our city's representative led the list. At the time, I defended it to my colleagues (editors of a small national magazine) but I must admit now that it deserves that honor. Watching its death throes is painful...

Recall reading that and they noted that the one bright spot at the Oklahoman was Mr. Kelley. Not sure what that says.

Recall reading that and they noted that the one bright spot at the Oklahoman was Mr. Kelley. Not sure what that says.
What it may say is that the walls of Jericho are actually tumbling down. In this instance,


Ed Kelley, on the "news" side of the Oklahoman, wasn't "laid off." He left the Oklahoman by choice to join an at best mediocre and small newspaper in Washington D.C. for reasons that would best be left for him to describe.


I'll make a wild guess and speculate that his choice was part of a recent pattern and will speculate that he wasn't the only example of attrition by choice.


Other reporters began leaving the Oklahoman not because they were laid off, but because they would rather be someplace else ... they would rather be someplace else because they were no longer free to report the news in the city.


With Ed Kelley gone, that left David Thompson, president of the OPUBCO Communications Group and recently chairman of Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, in full control at the Oklahoman, both management and news.

Of course, this is just silly idle thinking on my part. It may well be that nothing could be further from the truth.

Yep. I distinctly remember an issue of Friday from my college years in which there were photos posted from a "poverty party," a cotillion of rich Nichols Hills folks dressed up in "poverty" fare. I found this to be one of the most disgusting things I'd ever seen. For reference, this was in 1990. Yes, in 1990, Nichols Hills denizens thought it somehow appropriate to dress up as poor folks for a riotous party theme.

I'll need to see a copy of this before beliving it.

Im sorry, but this seems like a demotion to me; I don't care if Washington is a bigger market - He was the head of the largest daily in this state, to now go to a 2nd rate (my opinion) paper in DC? Seems like a major step backward from a career prospective imo.

Perhaps (and hopefully) it was for personal reasons, otherwise based on what I have read/seen I don't see how this is a positive move for him.

best regards to him, nonetheless - as he has done great work in changing the D'Oak for the better!

Hi Doug,

My earlier post was incomplete. When the "worst paper" ranking came out and they noted Mr. Kelley as being a bright spot, that was when he held a lower position than he does now. IMO, after he was promoted, the Oklahoman didn't get any better but the opposite happened. Not saying it was a causal thing as many factors have come into play with the entire industry in recent years. Case in point in the Oklahoman being "worse", was the lack of objective reporting during MAPS 3 that you correctly took them to task on repeatedly. You are probably correct in the speculation that an edict came from on high that they couldn't report. And maybe it made things uncomfortable enough for him to seek a position elsewhere. And I am sure you are correct that others left for the reasons you gave (plus getting out of their own volition rather than being forced out). Seeing the handwriting on the wall sort of thing.

Im sorry, but this seems like a demotion to me; I don't care if Washington is a bigger market - He was the head of the largest daily in this state, to now go to a 2nd rate (my opinion) paper in DC? Seems like a major step backward from a career prospective imo.

Perhaps (and hopefully) it was for personal reasons, otherwise based on what I have read/seen I don't see how this is a positive move for him.

best regards to him, nonetheless - as he has done great work in changing the D'Oak for the better! In an earlier article from the DO, it stated that he has 2 sons that live in the Washington DC area with their families. so it was in part for personal reasons. Second. He lived in the Washington DC area prior in a position with the DO for several years so he may have lots of business ties up there and perhaps he grew tired of living in Oklahoma and needed a change?

He's been living downtown for the last several years. Maybe he wants to live in a real urban environment. I must confess I think about doing the same sometimes

I know Ed and his wife personally, and I will miss them both (she is staying behind for her work for a year and then moving out to be with him). They have been very kind and supportive of me, and while I don't know all the reasons why Ed has taken this job, it's really none of my business and I wish him the very best of luck.

Our forum member Jim Kyle gives some interesting perspective, perhaps not directly but indirectly. I've just posted an article and video interview at http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/06/memoirs-thoughts-of-oklahoman-reporter.html. In the video interview, he described his time in 1954 when working at the Ardmore Ardmorite:




I call your attention to Jim's comments beginning around 2:32 about the "seamy side" of the newspaper business.



But, I also learned the seamy side of the newspaper business ... found out how often we had to compromise with our consciences things that might embarrass an advertiser frequently didn't get reported and if "important people" would be offended, again, the story would not see the light of day.
***
I'd been there [in Ardmore at the Ardmoreite] about a year when there was a showdown between my managing editor who I considered to be my boss and for that matter my mentor at that time, and the owner of the paper, and it ended up with the editor getting fired. Our city editor was promoted to the managing editor's spot. They offered me the city editor's spot, but being young and idealistic I decided I didn't really want to have any more to do with them. So I hightailed it up to Oklahoma City and visited the Oklahoman.

Interesting recollections they are that you have about the dark side, young Skywalker.

wish him well

Although I don't always agree with their opinions and there is always room for improvement, I've been a pretty big fan of the Oklahoman over the years. Their on-line presence is particularly progressive and they do a good job of covering local business and sports, the two areas where it's hard to find information elsewhere.

But I'm worried about them. The industry as a whole is really suffering but OPUBCO has laid off tons of people recently and I'm hoping this latest development is not an indication of a sinking ship.

For all the abuse aimed at it (most of it mis-guided IMO) losing that publication would be devastating to the community.

You make some strong points, but I'm starting to think local ownership is a bad idea. The Oklahoman is far too tied up with the business community in the city and is at least indirectly involved in protecting certain business interests. This is a form of casual corruption that has at times been good for OKC, but more often has not.

Personally, I would much rather see our big-city news organization run by a news organization that doesn't trade so many local favors. Bring on Gannett, or Knight-Ridder, or NY Times Co. if you ask me. I might even be OK with BELO. Hell, I would probably subscribe to the damn print product again!

More big changes at the Oklahoman.... At 59, Thompson is pretty young to just flat retire.

His successor is only 43.


Christy Everest, Chairman and CEO of The Oklahoma Publishing Co., announced Monday that David Thompson will retire from the company as Publisher of The Oklahoman and President of OPUBCO Communications Group on Sept. 1 and Christopher P. Reen will succeed him at that time.

Read more: http://newsok.com/opubco-announces-leadership-transition/article/3578849#ixzz1PrGQnuij

From the announcment: Everest said Reen is a multimedia visionary and will continue to move the company forward.

That certainly sounds to me like a precursor to moving even farther away from traditional print media and putting all their eggs in the Web and SmartPhone baskets.

Maybe he'll have enough vision to set their video ads and clips to where they do not auto-start. i get why they do, I honestly do, but that doesn't keep it from being as annoying as all get out. And once you stop it, if you must refresh the page for any reason, you have to go back and stop it again. Bleah.

Maybe he'll have enough vision to set their video ads and clips to where they do not auto-start.

What he said.

So the Oklahoman has its Editor and, now, its publisher, step down in the span of one week. What on earth is happening at the Oklahoman? Could a sale be in the works? One can only hope.

From the announcment: Everest said Reen is a multimedia visionary and will continue to move the company forward.

That certainly sounds to me like a precursor to moving even farther away from traditional print media and putting all their eggs in the Web and SmartPhone baskets.

Even as bad as the newspaper biz is now, I'd wager that it will be a long, long time before the web and any sort of news apps they develop generate anything close to the revenue that advertising in the print product does. That's why newspaper everywhere are dying.

Yes, as much as print ad revenues have shrunk (well less than half what they were just ten years ago) on-line ads only comprise 12% of their income stream. And on-line is growing much, much more slowly than print ads are fading.

I don't believe the Oklahoma will be sold... I just think they'll keep whittling down their staff as they have been for the last several years.

Yes, as much as print ad revenues have shrunk (well less than half what they were just ten years ago) on-line ads only comprise 12% of their income stream. And on-line is growing much, much more slowly than print ads are fading.

I don't believe the Oklahoma will be sold... I just think they'll keep whittling down their staff as they have been for the last several years.

It is a bit odd that the top two execs at the company quit within a week of each other. Something is going on there...

I'm sure OPUBCO is trying to shake things up and put even more emphasis on multi-media.

It will be interesting to see who is chosen as new Editor to replace Kelley.

I'm sure OPUBCO is trying to shake things up and put even more emphasis on multi-media.

It will be interesting to see who is chosen as new Editor to replace Kelley.

I'm sure the vetting is under way in the dark tower of the list of PR flacks supplied and pre-approved by the Heritage Foundation.

Oklahoman promotes new editor from within:


Fry has been with the company for 17 years. She started as Features Editor before moving to the digital side of the operation in 1997. In 2001 she led the team that launched NewsOK.com, serving as general manager of NewsOK. The site has grown to become Oklahoma's most trafficked local news site.

Read more: http://newsok.com/kelly-dyer-fry-named-editor-of-the-oklahoman-vp-of-news-for-opubco-communications-group/article/3580807#ixzz1QWGyORzz

"She?" "She?"

Breathe Barry. You forgot to breathe again

I'm not going to involve myself in the issues being discussed in this thread. But I do want to say, in utmost sincerity, that Kelly Dyer Fry is very respected in the state's journalism community and has been a key innovator in the emergence of NewsOK. She as you refer to her, is a natural successor to Ed Kelley, and I would have been shocked if it were anyone else.

It would be great if the Oklahoman actually had high standards of journalism. Not impugning Steve of course, but there's no one on staff at the Joke that would report half of what Clifton Adcock reports at the Gazette. Case in point: the recent news blackout on Aubrey McClendon's pay flap in the Oklahoman. As nice as a guy as Ed Kelley is and was, even he was not able to produce consistent high-quality, in-depth reporting. Kelly Dyer is nice as well but she will not rock the boat.