OPUBCO buys Griffin's share of NewsOK.com

[soonergirl]

Here's a link to the article. Looks like News 9 and The Oklahoman will no longer share newsok.com.

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What do you think about this?

[metro]

Well I strongly dislike Channel 9 so I don't mind. However since Griffin also had ties with OPUBCO, they didn't really contribute anything else OPUBCO usually covers or should I say DOESN'T COVER. Perhaps better journalism will come out of this.

[NE Oasis]

Perhaps better journalism will come out of this.

Metro-Glad you could close your post on a positive note ! Both claim that's what they hope to accomplish by this split.

[SoonerDave]

I always thought this was an unholy alliance that inherently meant lower-quality journalism from both sides, because inevitably one side would cover something that would ruffle the feathers of the other. It was a mutual conflict of interest.

For example, suppose KWTV opted to run a news story that implied some sort of malfeasance by a large car dealership that just happened to be a substantial advertiser in the Oklahoman? (Or vice-versa?) Or what if it were discovered that the Oklahoman (or KWTV in reverse) were sitting on a story for some reason, but the "opposite" party wanted to run with it?

The point is that this alliance was a bad deal for the "news consumer" in all respects. I think both sides saw that, and that's why the partnership is dissolving. I don't think Channel 9 got much out of it, frankly, as it seemed their own content was more or less buried under Oklahoman "stuff."

Although that site has won some innovation awards, I found it to be a clunky interface. I don't need all the cute, snappy graphics; just give me a clean interface to the main stories and that's good enough.

In a nutshell, media and news outlets don't need any more reason to perpetuate the appearance of tentacles that compromise their theoretical objectivity, which is specious at best. Independence is a fundamental element of good journalism, IMHO.

-soonerdave

[mranderson]

I just wonder why it is going to take KWTV a year (give or take some months) to get the website running. I know the sale may take time to close, as that is typical, however, it seems to me a website should be up in a matter of weeks, not months.

[allseeingeye]

Well I strongly dislike Channel 9 so I don't mind. However since Griffin also had ties with OPUBCO, they didn't really contribute anything else OPUBCO usually covers or should I say DOESN'T COVER. Perhaps better journalism will come out of this.

If they were really concerned with better journalism, they wouldn't have fired Britten Follet, Nick Winkler and all those other excellent people over at NEWS9 the News Director is the one they need to fire.

[soonergirl]

I agree with you about Nick Winkler - I thought he was an outstanding reporter.

[jbrown84]

It's a lot more likely he left for a bigger market. Do you have any proof that these people were fired?

[mranderson]

If they were really concerned with better journalism, they wouldn't have fired Britten Follet, Nick Winkler and all those other excellent people over at NEWS9 the News Director is the one they need to fire.

How do you know they were fired? Maybe they just accepted what they felt were better positions.

[jbrown84]

I just said that.

[NE Oasis]

How do you know they were fired? Maybe they just accepted what they felt were better positions.

Can't speak about Nick Winkler, but Britten Follett was fired because her first rate investigative journalism story into real estate transactions at Gallardia stepped on some toes. That said, the move to FOX was a great career move for her with her increased air time (smaller staff, more work) and move to the anchor desk.

[metro]

Metro-Glad you could close your post on a positive note ! Both claim that's what they hope to accomplish by this split.

Thanks. I usually do if you will follow my posts. Only recently that I have not is on Urban Renewal (in which the majority agrees/speaks with me) and religion. Which people have been debating religion for centuries. I usually contribute many articles to this website, have a strong passion for OKC, and usually cover things in a positive manner. Please don't base me off 2 or 3 instances as of late.

[mranderson]

Can't speak about Nick Winkler, but Britten Follett was fired because her first rate investigative journalism story into real estate transactions at Gallardia stepped on some toes. That said, the move to FOX was a great career move for her with her increased air time (smaller staff, more work) and move to the anchor desk.

How do you know this? No one gets fired for doing a good job.

[PUGalicious]

How do you know it's not the case, MrA? It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. People have lost their jobs before for stepping on the wrong toes in town. And biting the hand that feeds you can be fatal to your career.

[NE Oasis]

How do you know this? No one gets fired for doing a good job.

Taking a mranderson line - my personal friend Britten Follet who I know from expereince would not lie about the reason for her termination told me so!!!

[allseeingeye]

How do you know this? No one gets fired for doing a good job.

They do if that good job is stepping on the toes of David Griffin's inner circle.

[writerranger]

Thanks. I usually do if you will follow my posts. Only recently that I have not is on Urban Renewal (in which the majority agrees/speaks with me) and religion. Which people have been debating religion for centuries. I usually contribute many articles to this website, have a strong passion for OKC, and usually cover things in a positive manner. Please don't base me off 2 or 3 instances as of late.

If you go back, you'll find times when I was irritated with Metro over something. That's true with just about everyone - myself included. Sometimes I could kick myself good for stupid comments I make that were better left unsaid (or written as it were). The point being - I am going to stand up for Metro - again. I think his contributions to this site FAR outweigh any controversial things he might write about. As he said, he feels most strongly about OCURA and some other things that most everybody here agrees with anyway. Some people just get rubbed wrong by a personality trait or something, and really, that's not a fair critique. Nobody is loved by everyone. I said this in another post, but I'll say it again; one thing about Metro that really impresses me is that he doesn't just sit back and type anonymously like most of us. He ACTS. He shows up at meetings, makes phone calls, writes letters. Metro is an asset to not only this board, but to Oklahoma City. If he makes a mistake here or there - so what? Don't we all? I don't know Metro personally, but it's obvious he's a good guy, a thinker, a doer, recently married and has a bright future. If I disagree with Metro at times, I'll tell him. So what? Everyone doesn't have to think like me and vice versa. It would be a boring place here at OKCTalk if we all drank the same Kool-Aid. No, I don't get the criticism of Metro - we need more like him.

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