View Full Version : Oklahoma Gazette and OKCTalk.com announce merger
Local journalism combines forces under new publisher Peter J. Brzycki, adds veteran journalist Lance West to its team
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (August 15, 2018) – Contracts were signed today finalizing local business and civic news site OKCTalk.com’s acquisition of Tierra Media Group, the parent company of Oklahoma Gazette. The independent weekly newspaper’s founder and publisher for 40 years, Bill Bleakley, passes control of Gazette to Peter J. Brzycki, who will serve as publisher of both entities.
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/okctg.jpg
“Oklahoma Gazette is enormously important as a source for independent journalism, and I am dedicated to preserving and promoting that independence,” Brzycki said. “I love Oklahoma City and fully believe that our city deserves a strong source of uncompromised reporting. With our combined resources, we will serve as a watchdog and promote strong journalistic ethics by example.”
In 2017, Oklahoma Gazette earned the Society of Professional Journalists’ recognition as the best newspaper in Oklahoma. Bleakley, who retires after four decades at the helm of Oklahoma Gazette, said it was important that the newspaper he founded in 1979 remain local and independent.
“The transition of my ownership of Oklahoma Gazette was hinged on finding a new local owner who has the same commitment to responsible, independent, professional journalism. That search lead to Pete Brzycki, who has a proven allegiance to these standards,” Bleakley said. “With Peter Brzycki’s experience and leadership, the newspaper will have a strong perspective blending print with digital presence in our market, and the efforts of hundreds of dedicated employees who built the newspaper and laid the foundation for its successes provide the opportunity for its continuing legacy.”
Under the new merger, all current Gazette personnel will be retained, including editor-in-chief George Lang, assistant editor Brittany Pickering, creative director Kimberly Lynch and operations and marketing manager Kelsey Lowe. Together, under the new corporation OKC Next Media LLC, OKCTalk.com and Oklahoma Gazette will yield a strong combined digital news presence while perpetuating and strengthening the print version of Gazette.
In addition, the consolidated entity will add Emmy Award-winning journalist Lance West to its team. West, who has been recognized for exceptional journalism by Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists and Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, will anchor video news segments. West served for 23 years as a reporter and anchor at KFOR-TV News 4.
An Oklahoma native, Brzycki began his career as a commercial real estate broker before moving to California, where he served as a management consultant for companies such as Paramount Pictures and as senior vice president and chief financial officer for U.S. Trust Company in Los Angeles.
After 25 years on the West Coast, Brzycki returned to Oklahoma City to focus on OKCTalk.com, a highly trafficked independent news and discussion site that has broken hundreds of stories in recent years, including the arrival or expansion of corporations such as Costco, WinCo, Amazon, SkyWest and FedEx in the Oklahoma market. Brzycki is also a two-time Ironman triathlon finisher and a U.S. Triathlon certified coach.
“Local journalism requires tenacity, resilience and dedication,” Brzycki said. “In the face of financial, social and political challenges to the media, Oklahoma Gazette and OKCTalk.com will work together to bring honest, ethical and agile reporting to Oklahoma City. I thank Bill Bleakley for his dedication to these principles, and I’m honored that I can continue what he started.”
Of Sound Mind 08-15-2018, 01:17 PM Local journalism combines forces under new publisher Peter J. Brzycki, adds veteran journalist Lance West to its team
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (August 15, 2018) – Contracts were signed today finalizing local business and civic news site OKCTalk.com’s acquisition of Tierra Media Group, the parent company of Oklahoma Gazette. The independent weekly newspaper’s founder and publisher for 40 years, Bill Bleakley, passes control of Gazette to Peter J. Brzycki, who will serve as publisher of both entities.
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/okctg.jpg
“Oklahoma Gazette is enormously important as a source for independent journalism, and I am dedicated to preserving and promoting that independence,” Brzycki said. “I love Oklahoma City and fully believe that our city deserves a strong source of uncompromised reporting. With our combined resources, we will serve as a watchdog and promote strong journalistic ethics by example.”
In 2017, Oklahoma Gazette earned the Society of Professional Journalists’ recognition as the best newspaper in Oklahoma. Bleakley, who retires after four decades at the helm of Oklahoma Gazette, said it was important that the newspaper he founded in 1979 remain local and independent.
“The transition of my ownership of Oklahoma Gazette was hinged on finding a new local owner who has the same commitment to responsible, independent, professional journalism. That search lead to Pete Brzycki, who has a proven allegiance to these standards,” Bleakley said. “With Peter Brzycki’s experience and leadership, the newspaper will have a strong perspective blending print with digital presence in our market, and the efforts of hundreds of dedicated employees who built the newspaper and laid the foundation for its successes provide the opportunity for its continuing legacy.”
Under the new merger, all current Gazette personnel will be retained, including editor-in-chief George Lang, assistant editor Brittany Pickering, creative director Kimberly Lynch and operations and marketing manager Kelsey Lowe. Together, under the new corporation OKC Next Media LLC, OKCTalk.com and Oklahoma Gazette will yield a strong combined digital news presence while perpetuating and strengthening the print version of Gazette.
In addition, the consolidated entity will add Emmy Award-winning journalist Lance West to its team. West, who has been recognized for exceptional journalism by Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists and Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, will anchor video news segments. West served for 23 years as a reporter and anchor at KFOR-TV News 4.
An Oklahoma native, Brzycki began his career as a commercial real estate broker before moving to California, where he served as a management consultant for companies such as Paramount Pictures and as senior vice president and chief financial officer for U.S. Trust Company in Los Angeles.
After 25 years on the West Coast, Brzycki returned to Oklahoma City to focus on OKCTalk.com, a highly trafficked independent news and discussion site that has broken hundreds of stories in recent years, including the arrival or expansion of corporations such as Costco, WinCo, Amazon, SkyWest and FedEx in the Oklahoma market. Brzycki is also a two-time Ironman triathlon finisher and a U.S. Triathlon certified coach.
“Local journalism requires tenacity, resilience and dedication,” Brzycki said. “In the face of financial, social and political challenges to the media, Oklahoma Gazette and OKCTalk.com will work together to bring honest, ethical and agile reporting to Oklahoma City. I thank Bill Bleakley for his dedication to these principles, and I’m honored that I can continue what he started.”
Stunning and excellent news!
jedicurt 08-15-2018, 01:20 PM Awesome to hear... i look forward to the newsok write up that is just stolen from here
OkiePoke 08-15-2018, 01:21 PM Awesome, Pete!
Maybe now the DOK will provide credit for your stories, ha.
LocoAko 08-15-2018, 01:21 PM Wow! Congratulations, Pete!
dankrutka 08-15-2018, 01:21 PM Wow, Pete! Congratulations! This is really exciting not just for you, but for the Oklahoma City community.
baralheia 08-15-2018, 01:24 PM WOAH. This is crazy but super exciting! Congratulations, Pete! Does this mean that your partnership with KFOR will be ending? Or will that continue as well? Also, the Gazette has long been known for including snark with it's dose of journalism, in sections like Chicken Fried News... Do you plan to maintain both the serious and snarky stories in the Gazette?
loveOKC 08-15-2018, 01:24 PM Amazing!! CONGRATULATIONS!!
Thomas Vu 08-15-2018, 01:28 PM Wow. That's incredible! I'd love to celebrate this, and maybe have a question or two as well.
jedicurt 08-15-2018, 01:29 PM Wow. That's incredible! I'd love to celebrate this, and maybe have a question or two as well.
agree with this. would love to celebrate, but also have a few questions i might like to ask you in person, pete...
shawnw 08-15-2018, 01:29 PM when I first read the headline I thought you sold out to Gazette. equally but pleasantly shocking to find out it was the other way around!
who knew you wielded such power as to create a media powerhouse just like that?!?
shawnw 08-15-2018, 01:35 PM Also, how does this impact, if at all, the relationship with Channel 4?
I mean, I figure you won't just turn around and buy channel 4 also, but who knows what the future holds!
David 08-15-2018, 01:49 PM Oh wow! Congrats, Pete, this is a big move.
benjico 08-15-2018, 01:58 PM Congrats, Pete!
dankrutka 08-15-2018, 01:58 PM Alright, it's time to start asking the question, is Pete gaining too much media power? /s
Roger S 08-15-2018, 02:10 PM Need a BBQ editor Pete? I might consider coming out of retirement. ;)
Zuplar 08-15-2018, 02:13 PM Fantastic news Pete.
This is a step in the right direction for accountability in this state.
Thanks for your hard work.
KenRagsdale 08-15-2018, 02:14 PM Congratulations, Pete!
Ginkasa 08-15-2018, 02:41 PM Wow
mugofbeer 08-15-2018, 02:44 PM I wish the best for everyone and congratulations!
Jersey Boss 08-15-2018, 02:46 PM Props to you. Great move for the media in OKC.
Ross MacLochness 08-15-2018, 03:24 PM Nice work!!
shawnw 08-15-2018, 03:38 PM For completeness, here's the Gazette article...
https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/oklahoma-gazette-and-okctalkcom-announce-merger/Content
Thomas Vu 08-15-2018, 03:45 PM 14855
Completed.
harp23 08-15-2018, 03:48 PM We get this great announcement early in the afternoon and close to the same time Pete is sending updated pictures of Pollo Campero. Smooth operator that Pete!
ChaseDweller 08-15-2018, 03:49 PM Congratulations, Pete!
shawnw 08-15-2018, 03:58 PM 14855
Completed.
oops
https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/oklahoma-gazette-and-okctalkcom-announce-merger/Content?oid=4166716
Greatly appreciate all the kind words!
Nothing much will change here in the short-term but the mid- to long-term plan is to migrate our news to the Gazette and leave OKCTalk for discussion. And link the stories to an associated discussion thread.
News is incredibly important -- especially truly local news that is completely untethered and not beholding to anyone -- but so is discussion.
There is virtually no other place where people can come and share ideas and opinions and information on OKC, and that's a very big thing. I think that too often gets lost amid disagreements and other distractions. Especially because OKCTalk is often the only place many of these important topics are discussed in any public way.
I'm really excited about the change because my one and only goal when I moved back here 2 years ago was to make a positive impact on the community I love so much. I believe this will be advanced by having a bigger platform and the ample talents and resources of the Gazette as well as adding a video component and ultimately reaching a larger audience.
gopokes88 08-15-2018, 04:11 PM Wow. Big congrats Pete! Very exciting.
DoctorTaco 08-15-2018, 04:31 PM Congratulations Pete! This is huge and I'm sure you've been working towards it for a while.
Congratulations Pete! Very big step for the freedom from Big Brother Corporate news. Never knew a Media Mogul before.
Urbanized 08-15-2018, 05:38 PM Congratulations Pete!
SEMIweather 08-15-2018, 06:11 PM Congrats, Pete! This is definitely a positive, exciting development for journalism in OKC.
artynok 08-15-2018, 09:12 PM What wonderful news! Congrats Pete! I really appreciate what you do here with OKCTalk
Mr. Blue Sky 08-15-2018, 10:33 PM Absolutely blown away by this news. The Gazette couldn't be in better hands as it moves forward deeper into the 21st century. Pete has proven his dedication and commitment to Oklahoma City in the time he has been back. He is dogged, determined, skilled, and media savvy that seems to come almost naturally to him. I couldn't be happier for Pete, The Gazette, and OKCTalk. Congratulations to all involved in, what I believe, will soon be realized as an important milestone for Oklahoma City.
SSEiYah 08-15-2018, 10:42 PM This is really cool. Pete, thank youfor investing into the Gazette , you seem to come off as a very level headed guy and I'm thrilled you bought the Gazette. If you ever want to venture into Politics, you have my vote.
I'm a frequent reader of the Gazette, I generally go there for Entertainment & Food and occasionally read the news articles. It would be cool if you can incorporate some of the OKCtalk articles into the Gazette articles.
Several of the recent articles from OKCTalk in the past few years have been absolutely epic. Absolutely above and beyond what the "other newspaper" reports on in terms of journalism and real investigative reporting putting all the other TV news agencies to shame, or "the local newspaper".
My thoughts are: Lets keep it politically neutral. I like seeing the left and the right side when it comes to political articles. The gazette seems to have a reputation for being more left leaning, I'd like to see the right represented as well with political articles. Keep it up with the food stuff, I love reading about new restaurants but some negative criticism would be nice as well. The Gazette seems too positive at times. Just my 2 cents.
soonerfan_in_okc 08-15-2018, 11:19 PM I figured lance west would have a harder time landing on his feet. Interesting hire.
Urbanized 08-15-2018, 11:46 PM Based on..?
stile99 08-16-2018, 04:41 AM Day-um. *raises coffee mug* I also read the headline and thought the exact opposite. Looking forward to not a lot of changes at either site. This is not a political thread, so I'll leave it at that.
catch22 08-16-2018, 09:17 AM I figured lance west would have a harder time landing on his feet. Interesting hire.
Well he did mention something about a hard time. :)
Laramie 08-16-2018, 09:40 AM Good combination, best wishes forward; most of all, thanks for your return to Oklahoma City.
shawnw 08-16-2018, 09:45 AM I guess this means you'll never run for Ward 2, huh, Pete?
:-(
Brett 08-16-2018, 01:03 PM Always good to hear about a win-win merger. I'm craving some chicken fried news. :cheersmf:
jerrywall 08-16-2018, 01:28 PM Hey at least Midtowner got a name drop on the lost ogle about this.
baralheia 08-16-2018, 06:12 PM It was posted in the other thread, but for posterity's sake, here's TLO's take on the OKCTalk-Gazette merger: https://www.thelostogle.com/2018/08/16/okc-talk-bought-the-gazette-and-hired-lance-west/
MadMonk 08-18-2018, 08:26 PM Wow! Congratulations, Pete!
Midtowner 08-20-2018, 02:25 PM Hey at least Midtowner got a name drop on the lost ogle about this.
I saw that. Fun times.
Best of OKC issue hit the newsstand today.
Until my first day at the Gazette last Thursday, it didn't occur to me that they were right in the middle of this massive undertaking.
Most know that I am not one for false praise and I can tell you without reservation that the staff here is simply amazing and the quality of their work continues to blow me away. There is just tremendous potential on so many fronteirs and we are all already running fast in lots of new and exciting directions.
In the meantime, this was in the latest edition and elaborates more on the merger/acquisition:
***********************
AUGUST 22, 2018 NEWS » COMMENTARY
Bright lights
BY GEORGE LANG
Last week, a new era began for Oklahoma Gazette on the cusp of its 40th birthday. On Aug. 15, local business and civic news site OKCTalk.com acquired Tierra Media Group, parent company of Gazette, effectively merging the two sources for uncompromised, locally controlled journalism. As part of this merger, Gazette’s founder and publisher of four decades, Bill Bleakley, retired and passed control of Gazette to Pete Brzycki, our new publisher.
When Bill was my age, he hired a 20-something smartass fresh out of University of Oklahoma and gave me my first full-time job as a reporter. Through my three separate tenures at Gazette, Bill has been an important part of my professional life, and I cannot thank him enough for taking a chance on me, both as the rookie I was in 1994 and the editor-in-chief I am today.
This is one of those rare positive stories about print journalism. For nearly half my time in the business, I’ve lived through painful constrictions in our industry and watched as corporate takeovers by multinational absentee landlords bled local newspapers dry and treated reporters like decimals on a ledger. It happens so often and to so many papers that its incidence starts to feel like the dull pain that no doctor can cure, so you just learn to hobble through the misery.
But when OKCTalk.com came calling, it made sense. Pete got into the business of journalism out of real passion for how uncompromised reporting can make a difference in government, business and people’s lives. He does not worship at the foot of powerful forces or cower when those forces attempt to blunt the truth. If Gazette were to continue under new leadership, the best possible outcome was to have someone like Pete come into the picture. I’m grateful to be answering to someone who isn’t calling in from one of the coasts but can get my attention from the next office. That’s the way things should be in local journalism.
As readers, this impacts you in some important ways. First, because Gazette is being published by a native Oklahoman with a stake in the community and our paper’s ties to it; we are still the same staff we were when you picked us up last week. Second, Pete’s interest in the digital side of our publication, okgazette.com, means you will be seeing more breaking news on our site and regular reports from our new video reporter, Lance West. These advances will add new dimensions to what Gazette will bring you — not just every week, but every day.
All of this comes at a time when the press is under attack — not just from economic forces, but from the highest reaches of power. When President Donald Trump refers to journalists as the “enemy of the people,” he is trying to sow distrust for one of the few real checks on government or business. And it’s not just Trump. At the state and municipal levels, government entities try to keep otherwise public meetings private or hold late-night votes to avoid the sunlight that can be the best disinfectant.
Gazette takes this as a challenge. We will continue to bring you great news, arts and culture, food and music coverage, all with the understanding that we carry a responsibility to be aggressively true when toxic forces say that the “truth isn’t truth.”
Real journalism is not the “enemy of the people.” It is the enemy of the people who try to keep you in the dark. Oklahoma Gazette, now and in the future, is armed with bright lights.
George Lang is editor-in-chief of Oklahoma Gazette and began his career at Gazette in 1994. He is married to Laura Lang, which greatly improves his likeability. | Photo Nazarene Harris
David 08-22-2018, 02:22 PM Real journalism is not the “enemy of the people.” It is the enemy of the people who try to keep you in the dark. Oklahoma Gazette, now and in the future, is armed with bright lights.
Hell yeah.
Urbanized 08-22-2018, 04:30 PM George is first-rate talent and a genuinely good dude.
Of Sound Mind 08-25-2018, 12:37 PM This is fascinating... https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/oklahoma-gazette-okctalkcom-parts-ways-with-lance-west/Content?oid=4236135
... Pete, any additional context you'd like to share?
This is fascinating... https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/oklahoma-gazette-okctalkcom-parts-ways-with-lance-west/Content?oid=4236135
... Pete, any additional context you'd like to share?
Just didn't work out.
We (OKG/OKCT) are still pushing forward with our plans for video, just going a different direction.
Bunty 08-28-2018, 03:17 PM Congratulations on the merge. It would be nice if the Gazette was made available in Stillwater. It used to be available at Eskimos Joe's but hasn't been for years.
TheTravellers 09-01-2018, 12:50 PM Was flipping through the Gazette last night, and thought "Wonder if Pete will be able to make their Best of OKC truly a Best of OKC or if it will stay a popularity contest/most-ads-bought contest". :Smiley122
Was flipping through the Gazette last night, and thought "Wonder if Pete will be able to make their Best of OKC truly a Best of OKC or if it will stay a popularity contest/most-ads-bought contest". :Smiley122
Just so you know, ad sales has nothing to do with it.
But, some changes will be coming for next year.
TheTravellers 09-01-2018, 06:42 PM Just so you know, ad sales has nothing to do with it.
But, some changes will be coming for next year.
:tiphat: :congrats:
SEMIweather 09-02-2018, 08:28 AM Just so you know, ad sales has nothing to do with it.
But, some changes will be coming for next year.
If there's any way you could break down the "Best Local Band/Artist" category into different genres, that would be amazing. The Gazette does a great job covering the OKC/Norman music scene, and I'd love to see more bands get recognition in Best of OKC. Either way, will continue to read all of the music features, and the live music listing is a great resource for finding out about shows I may have missed on Facebook.
^
That's a good suggestion. Thanks.
shawnw 09-06-2018, 01:20 PM Out of curiosity, is there any plan to move Gazette HQ to downtown?
|
|