KFOR and OKCTalk.com announce partnership

[Pete]

Two of Oklahoma City's most prominent sources for news and multi-platform content have joined forces.




KFOR-TV has a long history of award winning story-telling and community involvement. For more than 65 years, the economy has been a key driver in KFOR’s reporting, whether that involves stories that directly affect Oklahomans’ personal finances or the economic wins and losses in the state’s capital city.

OKCTalk.com brings an impressive record of breaking hundreds of stories over the last five years, including the recent news of Braum's and Classen Circle, the investigative series that exposed fraud and corruption at TEEMCO, and scores of new-to-market retailers and businesses such as WinCo, H&M, the Container Store, West Elm, Amazon, Trader Joe's and many others.

Through the arrangement and effectively immediately, the two news organizations will coordinate on major stories and KFOR will share much of OKCTalk's work through their website and social media as well as on-air broadcasts.

As original reporting is waning nationwide due to reduced newsroom staffs, KFOR and OKCTalk believe this partnership will provide synergies that will help provide more important and in-depth news to the Central Oklahoma market and beyond.

Pete Brzycki, owner and publisher of OKCTalk commented, “I'm very proud of the original reporting we have done on our site and am grateful to KFOR for the opportunity to share it with a wider audience and to have access to their ample resources. This is an alliance that will not only benefit both of our companies but all of Oklahoma City as well.”

Natalie Hughes, News Director for KFOR, said, “We’re thrilled to build a successful partnership with OKCTalk. Their ability to break big stories has been impressive. I’m convinced that combining our newsrooms will lead to an expansion of compelling storytelling that will benefit both KFOR and OKCTalk’s multi-platform audiences .”

[shawnw]

Who will own the content?

[Pete]

Who will own the content?

OKCTalk owns any original content it creates and grants permission to KFOR to share and/or use as the basis for other content such as on-air broadcast.

Any content we create together is jointly owned.

[dankrutka]

Congrats, Pete! You deserve it as you've put in a lot of work on so many stories. It'll be great for them to reach a larger audience. This is also a fascinating media arrangement in a time when a lot of media people are trying to figure out the direction of local news... New media meets old!

[shawnw]

Okay, just worried about a big news conglomerate someday gobbling up okctalk.

[Colbafone]

Is this finally the news that Steve mentioned that would make Dallas jealous?

Haha, this is awesome Pete! Congrats!

[bradh]

Gotta be awkward writing your own press release

Good job Pete

[catcherinthewry]

Nice!

[gopokes88]

Congrats!

[Teo9969]

Congrats, Pete!!!

I'm excited for more people to get to hear these development stories. Of course, that means the many of us who have piggy-backed and prided on ourselves on being the "most-informed citizens" are now going to be like any joe blow

[Pete]

Thanks everyone.

Such a weird reaction by several people on Facebook... Basically saying, 'there goes your independence' or some such.

Absolutely, positively no permission needed from KFOR on anything I do. I provide them early access on anything important and they use as they see fit while crediting us.

And occasionally we may work together on something or at least answer questions or provide research. For example, on the Mathis Brothers story I could not get my calls returned and I though KFOR would have an in due to their advertising relationship. In the end, they did respond to KFOR but only to say 'we'll talk to you about this in a few months'.

It's an absolute win-win-win (the third win is for OKC because I think this will help improve reporting in the area).

[dankrutka]

Never read the comments, Pete.

[stile99]

*looks around* Nobody else is going to ask it? Nobody? OK, fine.

So does this means KFOR will pull the curtain back on David Stanley?

[Bullbear]

Congrats Pete!

[Ginkasa]

This is great. I think this will give OKCTalk more respect and legitimacy in the news it provides. We all know the benefit Pete and his work provide, but I can definitely understand why someone unfamiliar would look down on reporting by "just" a message board admin. This partnership should allay any concerns of that stripe.

[Pete]

Never read the comments, Pete.

Actually, I realized one of the stranger commentators is someone we've banned multiple times. So, makes perfect sense.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Actually, I realized one of the stranger commentators is someone we've banned multiple times. So, makes perfect sense.

Those Facebook comments were gold. People are funny....

Best of luck Pete! Great news!

[BLJR]

Congratulations Pete!!! Very happy for you and OKC talk!!!

[jerrywall]

Congrats Pete. I've long noticed a trend on the sequence of finding out local news and developments...

Okctalk.com

Then Reddit

then someone of facebook

Then the lost ogle

Then Newsok (typically refuting what OKCtalk.com posts, and then retracting that later).

It'll be nice to see a local news source actually tied into real information for once.

[aDark]

Congratulations! I love this site and I hope the relationship brings even more active users to the table. Conversation in these threads is awesome and I think this move will help all parties. Thank you for all you do. More drone footage!

[jccouger]

I now have good reason to give my exclusive viewership to KFOR channel 4 when its comes to watching news channels.

Congrats Pete, nobody in the Oklahoma City news business works harder then you do.

[rte66man]

Congratulations Pete!

Now can you do something so Linda Cavanaugh will FINALLY retire?