The Oklahoma Publisher
Official Publication of the Oklahoma Press Association
www.OkPress.com
www.Facebook.com/okpress
INSIDE
DASHCAM VIDEOS:
Court of Civil Appeals rules
dashcam videos are open
records.
PAGE 3
TORNADO COVERAGE:
State newspapers tell the
story like no other media
can.
PAGE 9
ADVENTURES: President
Shultz meets more newspaper superheroes on his
final road trip.
PAGE 12
CONVENTION
COVERAGE: Awards,
speakers and photos
from the June 13-15 OPA
Convention. Look for more
coverage in next month’s
issue.
PAGE 16
Vol. 84, No. 6
32 Pages • June 2013
Recent Oklahoma tornado coverage
shows how much newspapers matter
When it comes to delivering
local news and covering a community, nothing compares to a
community newspaper.
That was the crux of BH
Media Group’s President and
Chief Executive Officer Terry
Kroeger’s talk, “Why Newspapers Matter,” at the 2013 OPA
Annual Convention.
Kroeger opened his talk
with remarks from BH Media
Chairman Warren Buffett’s
annual report to shareholders
about the value of community
newspapers:
“Newspapers continue to
reign supreme in the delivery
of local news. If you want to
know what’s going on in your
town – whether the news is
about the mayor or taxes or
high school football – there is
no substitute for a local newspaper that is doing its job,”
Buffett said.
“A reader’s eyes may glaze
over after they take in a couple of paragraphs about Canadian tariffs or political developments in Pakistan; a story
about the reader himself or
his neighbors will be read to
the end.
“Wherever there is a pervasive sense of community, a
paper that serves the special
informational needs of that
community will remain indispensable to a significant portion of its residents.”
It’s this belief in a “pervasive sense of community”
that Kroeger said BH Media
has built its business strategy
around.
He went on to praise Oklahoma newspapers’ recent coverage of May’s tornadoes as a
great example of the value of a
local newspaper.
“I don’t live in Oklahoma
but it’s hard for me to imagine
that those affected and interested in the tornado aftermath
did not rely heavily on the
daily or weekly newspaper,”
he said.
Kroeger’s talk also touched
on several reasons why one of
the most successful businessmen in the country, Buffett,
has bought 68 newspapers at
a time when so many people
have written off the newspaper
as dead or dying.
The first reason is that
despite the gloom and doom
predictions, many newspapers
are actually profitable operations.
“Recently, the Newspaper
Association of America reported that newspapers had the
best quarterly revenue numbers in over six years. That’s
encouraging and I see that
momentum as on our side,”
said Kroeger.
Another reason BH Media
has aggressively pursued
newspapers is that their attractive purchase price can provide
good returns for investors.
“One of the reasons that the
transaction prices for newspapers are currently pretty
low is this concept that the
printed newspaper is somehow
doomed within a few years,”
Kroeger said. “I don’t buy that,
particularly in markets where
In appreciation of his talk on Why Newspapers Matter, OPA President
Jeff Shultz, right, presents BH Media President and CEO Terry Kroeger
a caricature by Robert Lange depicting Kroeger as a superhero.
we do business and you do
business.
“A mistake that consultants
and prognosticators make is
that they argue about whether
it’s digital first or newspaper
first. It’s neither.”
Kroeger instead advocates a
“customer first” model, where
the paper provides multiple
avenues for readers to consume news, be it in the print
product, online or on their tablets and smartphones.
“We need to be good at
distributing to all those channels so that our customers can
consume our products in whatever format they prefer,” said
Kroeger.
Beyond increasing profits
and solid returns on investment, community newspapers
offer something even more
important to a community.
“The ongoing relevance and
franchise value of community
newspapers is quite clear. You
know this inherently. We literally bury our competition
every day with our coverage
of breaking news events, indepth coverage and analysis
of institutions, fun, entertaining stories and, of course, box
scores, photographs and all we
provide,” said Kroeger.
“If you doubt the relevance
factor of newspapers with
aggressive news reporting in
their watchdog role, there’s
some public officials in Nebraska you might want to talk to.”
Kroeger went on to describe
half a dozen stories uncovered
by his hometown paper, the
Continued on Page 4
2
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
UP, UP AND
AWAY!
23$35(6,'(17·6&2/801
&HOHEUDWLQJ1HZVSDSHU+HURHV3DVW3UHVHQW
By Jeff Shultz, Garvin County News Star
If you missed the OPA Convention
this year, you missed an inspirational
and educational conference.
The convention kicked off Thursday
afternoon with a very illuminating session by Chris Thrutchley on avoiding
some of the mistakes employers make
when disciplining or discharging an
employee.
You can read about Chris’s presentation elsewhere in this issue of The
Publisher.
A very moving moment for the Mayo
family came during the annual business
meeting. OPA Board Vice President
Jeff Mayo, as most of you know, was
nominated to be the next OPA President in 2013-14.
Prior to the business meeting Mark
Thomas suggested I call on Jim Mayo,
Jeff’s father, to make the motion for
all nominations to cease when it came
time to elect the new officers.
When the moment arrived I did so
and I will always count that occasion as
one my most special memories during
my presidency.
For Jim, a past OPA president himself, to nominate his own son as president was truly poignant.
I couldn’t help but think how exceptional that moment would have been for
me if my father had been alive when I
was nominated for the post.
Thank you, Mark, for suggesting
we do that and thank you Jim and Jeff
for allowing me to be included in that
special moment.
Thursday evening’s entertainment
after the welcome dinner allowed
everyone to connect with a distinct
piece of newspaper history.
Steve Graggert from the Will Rogers Museums in Claremore and Oolagah gave a very amusing slide show
on Will’s love for newspapers and his
newspaper columns.
Will Rogers is one my favorite news-
paper heroes and he is credited for
making that now infamous quote, “All I
know is what I read in the newspapers.”
But Steve revealed Will’s love for
the printed word through a wonderful
presentation that featured other comments by Will.
“Take away my eggs, my ham and
even my chili, but leave me my newspaper,” Will once quipped.
Will’s weekly and daily columns are
available at the museum’s website. You
can download them onto your computer or tablet in PDF format.
Of course the highlight of the convention was the Better Newspaper Contest Awards Banquet on Friday night.
In looking over the first place winners in each category, it was clear that
all entries were quality pieces and we
should be proud of the superiority of
work being done in our state.
Congratulations to all the winners,
especially the Sequoyah winners this
year.
I’d like to thank the OPA staff for
their hard work in making this year’s
convention such a tremendous success.
I think you all will agree with me that
we have the best newspaper association
in the country and it’s all due to the
professional and diligent staff we have
at the OPA.
When I took over as president of the
OPA I wanted to recognize the gallant
efforts many newspaper people make
day in and day out to bring the news to
their communities. That’s why I chose
“newspaper heroes” as the theme of my
presidency.
As I visited many of the newspapers
in our state I found numerous examples
of the qualities found in a hero such as
sacrifice, loyalty, determination, dedi-
cation, selflessness, conviction, persistence and, above all, courage.
In every person I met, and some
were for the first time, I found loyalty
to the truth – and you all know it takes
courage to publish the truth even when
it means you may have to sacrifice
friendships along the way.
I learned many things from you.
Being a hero is sometimes lonely. Nothing is lonelier than having everyone at
church give you the “evil” eye because
of what you printed in the paper the
week before.
I learned that many of you have
soiled the good and upstanding names
of people in your town because you
refused to leave their name out of the
public records.
Some of the things I learned were
humorous. For instance, I learned that
in Idabel the weapon of choice between
two fighting couples is often chicken
and dumplings.
Each editor or publisher I would
visit received a plaque that showed
Clark Kent pulling his shirt open to
reveal the iconic Superman “S” on his
chest. Inscribed on each plaque was
the phrase “Superman was a reporter.” Superman stood for truth, justice
and the American way. And that is
what every newspaper hero stands for,
though sometimes the American way
means exposing corruption in city and
county governments and, yes, even
some school boards.
Our industry possibly faces some of
the toughest opposition we have ever
encountered. Not since Watergate has
the First Amendment and the right to a
free press been so challenged.
It’s during times like these that
heroes step up to the plate and deliver
truth, justice and the American way no
matter the cost.
So for each of you who have had
someone refuse to shake your hand at
a restaurant; called you in the middle of
the night to tell you how much you’ve
ruined them; fought for the tiniest bit
of information from your city council,
county commissioners or school board;
and for all of you who have battled for
every advertising dollar you can get so
you can keep publishing truth, justice
and the American way – I salute you.
You are an inspiration to us all and
especially to me.
Jeff Shultz presides over his presidential
duties at the OPA Convention.
Jeff Mayo, or Jeff No. 2, as we refer
to him on the board, will take over as
your new president on July 1, 2013.
(Actually Jeff is Act II of what I call
the “Reign of Jeffs.” I am finishing up
my year as president, while Jeff Mayo
begins his year as the OPA chief. After
Jeff’s term is finished, Jeff Funk, newly
elected OPA Board vice president, will
acquire the throne.)
Mayo will be a fine leader of our
association and continue to move us
forward in a positive direction.
I know you all join me in wishing
him the best of luck in the upcoming
year.
As most of you know, I am passionate about two things in my life – my
family (especially my wife) and the
newspaper industry.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time
as president and delighted in getting
to meet many of my fellow newspaper
publishers and editors during the past
year. My time as president has only
deepened the devotion I have for our
industry and each of you.
So, here’s to newspaper heroes past,
present and future. Our industry will
continue to thrive in Oklahoma because
of the valiant efforts of each and every
one of you.
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
Court rules dash-cam videos are open records
The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
ruled on May 31 that a police dash-cam
video was an open record under the
Oklahoma Open Records Act.
The appellate court ruling reverses
an August 2011 decision by Rogers
County District Judge Sheila Condren
that stated police departments’ dashcam recordings are a “direct piece of
evidence” and “not a public record.”
The appellate court ruled 2-1 in favor
of release.
“This is definitely a win for the citizens and definitely a win for the press
and the people who support open government,” said attorney Josh Lee, who,
along with attorneys Stephen Fabian
and Clint Ward, fought for the release
of the records. “Open government wins
today.”
To make their ruling, judges relied
on a 2004 State Supreme Court ruling
that states Department of Public Safety recordings of administrative hearings concerning revocation of drivers’
licenses are public.
“If an Implied Consent hearing is
considered ‘facts concerning the
arrest,’ then surely the video and/or
audio recording of the actual arrest
must also constitute ‘facts concerning
the arrest,’” Judges Robert Bell and
Kenneth Buettner said in their opinion.
Attorneys seeking the video of a client sued the city of Claremore in May
2011, alleging the municipality violated
the Open Records Act in refusing to
release the requested videotapes and
audiotapes from the arrest of Richard
Strangland, a Claremore man who was
charged in March 2011 with aggravated
driving under the influence of alcohol.
Fabian, in arguing for the release
of the records, said that the Open
Journalism foundation
donates to tornado relief
The Inasmuch Foundation and
Ethics and Excellence in Journalism
Foundation announced a combined $2
million to United Way of Central Oklahoma to support tornado relief efforts
in Oklahoma.
“We want to express our deep sorrow for the victims and their families
devastated by the May tornadoes,” said
Bob Ross, president and CEO of both
foundations.
Records Act covered audio and videotapes. Mary Ballard, who represents
the city, told the court that videotapes
are evidentiary and therefore confidential.
The Open Records Act includes
sound and video recordings in its definition of a public record.
In Condren’s August ruling, she also
stated that Claremore did not violate
the Open Records Act because the
requesters had listed the wrong date
– April 4, not March 4 – for the arrest
and therefore no such video existed for
that date.
Bell and Buettner overturned Condren’s point on that, saying that in their
opinion police officials might have initially been confused by the wrong date
but had subsequently provided many
documents concerning the arrest.
In the opinion written by Chief Judge
Robert Bell, the state Court of Criminal Appeals disagreed with Condren’s
original ruling.
“Appellees’ argument – and the trial
court’s holding – that the video is
exempt because it could be used as
evidence in a subsequent criminal prosecution is without legal support,” Bell
wrote. “There is no such exemption
enumerated in the [Open Records]
Act.”
Fabian won a lawsuit against the
State Department of Public Safety in
2005 after the Oklahoma Highway
Patrol started denying the release of
traffic arrest videos. Later that year,
however, the Public Safety Department
was successful in getting legislation
passed to exempt state troopers from
turning over videotapes. It is the only
law enforcement agency in the state
with such an exemption.
“All these dashcam videos do is
tell the truth and the facts about the
arrest,” said Mark Thomas, executive
vice president of the Oklahoma Press
Association. “No law enforcement
agency should be afraid of that.”
OPA receives membership application
EType Services has applied for a
sustaining membership in the Oklahoma Press Association.
The company, located in Austin,
Texas, is a digital provider for community newspapers. Services include
digital delivery, subscriber management and customer support. Thad
Swiderski is the contact.
The application lists the address as
P.O. Box 11590, Austin, Texas 78711.
The phone number is 512-687-9055
and the website is located at www.
etypeservices.com.
The Oklahoma Press Association
Board of Directors will vote on the
application at its next meeting.
Any current member wishing to
object to the application of EType
Services must do so in writing to the
OPA at 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499, by July
22, 2013.
Considering a sale?
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has sold over 1,400 newspapers over the years
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The
Oklahoma
Publisher
ISSN 1526-811X
Official Publication of the
Oklahoma Press Association
PUBLISHER
Mark Thomas
mthomas@okpress.com
EDITOR
Jennifer Gilliland
jgilliland@okpress.com
OPA OFFICERS
Jeff Shultz, President
The Garvin County News Star
Jeff Mayo, Vice President
Sequoyah County Times
Gracie Montgomery, Treasurer
The Purcell Register
Mark Thomas,
Executive Vice President,
Oklahoma City
OPA DIRECTORS
Rusty Ferguson, Past President
The Cleveland American
Jeff Funk, Enid News & Eagle
Robby Trammell, The Oklahoman
Dayva Spitzer, Sayre Record &
Beckham County Democrat
Brian Blansett, Shawnee News-Star
Mike Brown, Neighbor News
Ted Streuli, The Journal Record
3601 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499
(405) 499-0020
Toll-Free in Oklahoma: (888) 815-2672
www.OkPress.com
news@OkPress.com
www.Facebook.com/OKPress
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3
4
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
Oklahoma Hall of Fame to induct Russell Perry
Russell Perry, president of Perry
Publishing & Broadcasting and publisher and editor The Black Chronicle in Oklahoma City, is one of seven
people selected for induction into the
Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
Perry Publishing & Broadcasting
purchased its first radio station in 1993
and today owns 20 stations in Georgia,
Oklahoma and South Carolina.
The company is the largest privately-owned communications company in
the state and the largest black-owned
independent broadcasting company in
the nation.
Perry served as Oklahoma’s Secre-
tary of Commerce during the Keating
administration, as well as a member of
the Oklahoma Development Finance
Authority, Oklahoma Industrial Finance
Authority and Oklahoma City Urban
Renewal Authority.
His honors include induction into
the Oklahoma Afro-American, the Oklahoma Journalism, the American Urban
Radio Network Broadcasters and the
Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters
Halls of Fame.
Also included in the 2013 Hall of
Fame induction class are Michael D.
Case, of Tulsa real estate firm Case
& Associates; Oklahoma City’s News9
Tulsa World receives top honor
in Great Plains’ 2013 contest
Winners of the 2013 Great Plains
Journalism Awards were announced
May 17 at the Mayo Hotel in downtown
Tulsa, Okla.
The competition, sponsored by the
Tulsa Press Club, awards outstanding
work in newspapers, magazines and
websites from eight states.
For the third consecutive year, the
Tulsa World was named Great Plains
Newspaper of the Year. Finalists in that
category were The Oklahoman and
Omaha World-Herald. Cary Aspinwall
from the World was named Great Plains
Writer of the Year and Mike Simons,
also from the World, was named Great
Plains Photographer of the Year.
Other wins for Oklahoma newspapers were:
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION – Chris
Landsberger, The Oklahoman
NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY, MULTIPLE –
Mike Simons, Tulsa World
SPORTS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY –
Mike Simons, Tulsa World
AUDIO SLIDESHOWS – John Clanton,
Tulsa World
GENERAL NEWS – Ron J. Jackson Jr.,
Graham Lee Brewer, Katherine Borgerding, Juan Sanchez and Darren Jaworski,
Oklahoma Watch
NARRATIVE STORY/SERIES– Cary
Aspinwall, Tulsa World
SPORTS REPORTING – Bill Haisten,
Mike Averill and James Royal, Tulsa World
SPORTS COLUMN – Jenni Carlson,
The Oklahoman
REVIEWS – Dave Cathey, The Oklahoman
ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE –
Michael Smith, Tulsa World
HEADLINE PORTFOLIO – Pat Gilliland,
The Oklahoman
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Meteorologist Gary England; John D.
Groendyke, owner of Enid’s Groendyke Transport, Inc.; Timothy C. Headington, founder of Headington Resources; Chief United States District Judge
Vicki Miles-LaGrange and Reggie N.
Whitten, a partner in the Whitten Burrage Law Firm and founder of FATE,
Fighting Addiction Through Education.
The honorees will join 655 other
notables who have been inducted since
1928.
The class of 2013 will be formally
inducted into the Hall of Fame on Nov.
7, 2013, at the Cox Convention Center
in Oklahoma City.
OPA elects officers at convention
Jeff Mayo, associate publisher of
the Sequoyah County Times, was
elected as president of the Oklahoma
Press Association for 2013-14 at the
OPA Convention in Midwest City,
Okla.
The election was held on Thursday,
June 13, during the OPA’s annual business meeting.
Other officers elected to a one-year
term beginning July 1 were Jeff Funk,
publisher of the Enid News & Eagle,
as vice president; Gloria Trotter, publisher of The Countywide & Sun, as
treasurer, and Jeff Shultz, publisher
of the Garvin County News Star, as
immediate past president.
Newly elected to serve a threeyear term as director was Ray Dyer,
Newspapers matter
Continued from Page 1
Omaha World-Herald, that led to drastic changes in the public lives of elected
and appointed officials.
Kroeger also made clear that newspapers need to break the habit of giving
all of their content away for free online.
“We need to not only take pride in
this unique comprehensive coverage
but insist that those who wish to consume our content need to pay for it.
It’s no different than paying for Bruce
Springsteen on iTunes,” said Kroeger.
“He deserves to get paid for his intellectual property and so do we.”
The newspaper industry as a whole
co-publisher of the El Reno Tribune.
Brian Blansett, publisher of the Shawnee News-Star, was elected to his
second three-year term.
Other members of the OPA board
of directors are Robby Trammell, The
Oklahoman; Dayva Spitzer, Sayre
Record & Beckham County Democrat; Mike Brown, Neighbor News,
and Ted Streuli, The Journal Record.
In other business at the meeting,
OPA Executive Vice President Mark
Thomas called for a moment of silence
after reading the names of those listed
in the annual necrology report.
Thomas also presented a legislative report that included a handout
and discussion of bills affecting the
newspaper industry.
has done a poor job of demonstrating
the monetary value of its content since
Internet became a force in the media
world, but it’s imperative to the success
of the industry, according to Kroeger.
He ended by saying that a successful business operation and a successful
news operation need not, and must not,
be mutually exclusive aspects in the
newspaper industry.
“The long standing debate between
earnings and devotion of resources to
newsrooms will and must continue for
as long as any of us is in this business.
“You don’t get to choose between
profits and remarkable journalism. It’s
imperative and non-negotiable that we
do both.”
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
Tulsa World names Masterson as publisher
Bill Masterson Jr. was recently
named Vice President of BH Media
Group’s Southwest Group, which
includes the Tulsa World.
The newly formed Southwest Group
is based in Tulsa and includes newspaper and digital operations of the World,
the Waco Tribune-Herald in Waco,
Texas, and The Eagle in Bryan-College
Station, Texas.
Masterson, an Oklahoma native, has
also assumed the duties of publisher of
the Tulsa World after the resignation of
John Bair.
“I am very excited about this new
opportunity at the Tulsa World,” Masterson said. “Oklahoma is my home
and I couldn’t have a better situation
than working with these professionals.
We are committed to this community
and to these employees. I look forward
to our bright future together.”
Before joining BH Media Group,
Masterson was publisher of Times
Media Co. of Munster, Ind., and operating vice president of Lee Enterprises.
In October, he was named “Publish-
er of the Year” by Editor and Publisher
magazine.
“We are delighted to have Bill
join the BH Media team,” said Terry
Kroeger, President and CEO of BH
Media Group. “He brings a unique
breadth and depth of experience to
our team. We look forward to working
with Bill on growing our company and
always improving our newspapers.”
Masterson served on the board of
directors and is a past president of the
South Dakota Newspaper Association.
He is a current member of the board of
directors for the Hoosier Press Association.
John R. Bair, a 12-year executive
with the Tulsa World, held a series of
management posts at Texas newspapers before joining the Tulsa World as
circulation director in 2001.
Bair was named president and chief
operating officer of World Publishing
Co. in 2007. He was named publisher in
March when BH Media purchased the
World from the Lorton family.
BH Media Group is a wholly owned
Bill Masterson, Jr.
subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway
Company. It owns 28 daily newspapers and related weekly newspapers in
Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Alabama and Florida.
It’s time for Oklahoma to get SLAPPed
Legal Notes
by Michael Minnis
OPA Attorney
Recent lawsuits against newspapers have provided yet more evidence of why Oklahoma should adopt
a “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public
Participation” law, also known as
SLAPP.
A SLAPP law is designed to discourage the use of the courts to censor, intimidate or silence critics by
burdening publishers with the litigation costs to defend a unmeritorious
libel suit.
Two recent Legal Services Plan
(LSP) cases and a non-LSP case show
what can happen. The LSP pays up
to $20,000 for defense of members
sued for libel. Litigation costs can
easily exceed this limit if the libel
plaintiff is very aggressive or the case
is litigated for months.
Although pleased with a dismissal,
the defending newspapers would still
have to pay out money either directly
because the LSP limit was exceeded
or indirectly through LSP dues.
These costs are not recoverable from
a plaintiff who can dismiss a suit at
any time.
Twenty-eight states have enacted
various SLAPP acts including Arkansas, Missouri, New Mexico and
Texas. California’s SLAPP law adopted in 1992 is a model.
When the publication concerns
items of public interest or arises from
speech in a public forum about an
issue of public interest, California’s
SLAPP provides that:
1. Defendant can file a motion to
strike.
2. The motion to strike stays all discovery (often the biggest cost of
litigation).
3. The denial of a SLAPP motion is
immediately appealable.
4. If the motion is granted, the defendant is entitled to a reasonable
attorney fee.
To prevail in a motion to strike, a
defendant must show that the alleged
defamation involves the First Amendment and that the claim lacks any
basis of genuine substance.
The three cases mentioned earlier
involved a report of an official proceeding, editorial comment on official
actions and an invasion of privacy
caused by the plaintiff.
At least two of these cases would
probably have qualified under SLAPP
laws.
Most newspapers are small businesses.
Because lawsuits are potential killers of small businesses, it is time to
get Oklahoma SLAPPed.
5
New staff member
at Meeker News
Jennifer Pitts recently joined the
staff at The Meeker News.
Pitts, who grew up in Shawnee,
graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2001 with a Bachelor of
Arts in public relations journalism.
She has worked as a staff reporter
and photographer for several daily
newspapers in Oklahoma. She also
has provided freelance photography
for major news publications including The New York Times, USA
Today, Washington Post and The
Wall Street Journal.
Her work has earned photography and reporting awards from The
Associated Press, Oklahoma Society
of Professional Journalists and the
Oklahoma Press Association.
New ad manager at
Stillwater NewsPress
Jill Hunt is returning to the Stillwater NewsPress as adverting manager.
She will be responsible for supervising all sales and marketing relationships for the daily paper, its
website and other print and digital
specialty products.
Hunt has nearly 30 years experience in newspaper sales management, advertising and journalism
education.
For much of the last 15 years
Hunt has worked at the NewsPress
in sales and management roles. She
also served as advertising manager
at the Duncan Banner and for the
McAllen (Texas) Monitor.
Bethany Tribune
editor resigns
The Bethany Tribune’s editor,
Nathan Winfrey, announced on June
7 that he is leaving the newspaper.
Winfrey grew up in Bethany and is
a graduate of Bethany High School.
He attended the University of
Central Oklahoma where he earned
a bachelor’s degree.
Winfrey served as The Tribune’s
editor for the past five years.
6
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
OPA CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
Complete Listing of Events
at www.OkPress.com
THURS., JULY 18
ONF WORKSHOP
GET SMART
ABOUT AD SALES
Local newspaper publishers Mark Millsap and Karan Ediger have both been
ad account managers and advertising
trainers. This training will help new advertising staff members and seasoned
account managers get smart with practical sales and design tips that Ediger
and Millsap have learned in their careers. Registration $35. For more information or to register, go to OkPress.
com/events-calendar.
THURS., AUG. 1
ONF WORKSHOP
FOCUS ON
PHOTOSHOP TRAINING
OPA computer consultant Wilma
Melot will cover the latest edition of
Photoshop. Class size is limited to
20 so register early. Learn photo editing techniques and shortcuts you can
use at your publication immediately.
Hands-on training in an up-to-date journalism computer lab on the OSU campus in Stillwater. Registration $35. For
more information or to register, go to
OkPress.com/events-calendar.
THURS., SEPT. 26
ONF WORKSHOP
CIRCULATION CONFERENCE
Pryor Times and Claremore Daily
Progress publisher Bailey Dabney
will discuss how to reach circulation
goals. Also, get the latest information
about postal issues from OPA Postal
Consultant John McCann. Location to
be announced. Registration $35. For
more information or to register, go to
OkPress.com/events-calendar
For more information on upcoming events,
visit the OPA website at www.OkPress.com or
contact Member Services Director Lisa Potts
at (405) 499-0026, 1-888-815-2672
or email LPotts@okpress.com.
AFSCME Local 1180 files open records lawsuit
The American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees Local
1180 filed a lawsuit in Tulsa County
District Court on June 5, alleging that
the city has failed to comply with three
separate open records requests.
The union is asking for the city to
release a 911 recording and numerous
financial and employee records under
the state’s Open Records Act.
The suit alleges that the city has not
complied with the union’s request since
February.
Union President Michael Rider said
the city refused to release a recording from a 911 call from April, asked
that the union pay more than $600 for
employee time reports and has not
responded to a request for city financial
data.
The union says the records are
needed for research for contract nego-
Lawton health reporter
receives national award
Lawton Constitution health and
religion reporter KW Hillis was honored by the Foundation for Biomedical
Research for outstanding journalism in
Washington, D.C.
In May, Hillis was one of seven people to receive the Michael D. Debakey
Journalism Award. Hillis’ award was
in the small market print division for a
series of stories about a young girl with
fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.
This condition causes individuals
to grow a “second skeleton” of normal
bone in the wrong locations on their
body, effectively entombing them in
their own bones.
Hillis wrote two stories that appeared
in July 2012 editions of The Lawton
Constitution about five-year-old Ellaina
McAlister, who suffers from the disease.
Hillis also covered research into the
disease by The Center for Research in
FOP and Related Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania.
“ ... Hillis’ amazing story about Ellaina McAlister ... is not a story about
amusement with the rare, but rather a
child’s face on a problem suffered by
many,” said Dr. Frederick S. Kaplan,
co-director of the Center for Research
in FOP during Hillis’ introduction at
the awards ceremony.
tiations with the city to help the union
defend members who are involved in
potential disciplinary and pay disputes.
The lawsuit asks for no financial
damages, only attorney fees.
Tulsa City spokeswoman Michelle
Allen said the city can’t comment on
pending litigation. She did note that
the city’s interpretation of the Open
Records Act is that 911 recordings are
public record.
In their lawsuit, the union says they
requested a recording of a 911 call on
April 5 from an address in north Tulsa.
Rider said the union requested the
recording to collect evidence in defense
of a potential “grievance” involving a
city employee.
Another document in the lawsuit
claims the union asked for employee
time records on May 28 that included
employee time sheets, overtime autho-
rization reports, leave reports and
emails containing key words such as
“fire station” and “city vehicle.”
Rider said those records were needed to determine the validity of complaints that the city has ordered code
enforcement employees to park their
personal vehicles at various fire stations and drive city vehicles to City Hall
before clocking in for the day, potentially denying each employee as much
as 30 minutes in pay a day.
The city did not explain why it
charged $600 for these records.
The financial reports the union
requested include year-end comprehensive reports that help the union
identify ways the city could be able
to accommodate its request in annual
negotiations.
Governor’s office files legal brief
in response to open records lawsuit
In response to a lawsuit filed in
April, Gov. Mary Fallin’s office filed
a legal brief on May 31 saying it can
keep some emails confidential due to
executive, attorney client and deliberative privileges.
The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma on behalf of TheLostOgle.com,
a blog. The blog joined other media
outlets filing an open records request
seeking emails and other documents
Fallin’s office used in deciding not to
expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
Fallin’s office released 51,029 pages
of documents in March, but withheld
31 documents containing 100 pages,
claiming they were confidential under
the state’s Open Records Act.
Fallin’s response, filed by Sandra
D. Rinehart and Neal Leader in the
Oklahoma Attorney General’s office,
said Fallin used the “privilege to protect the process used in reaching
executive branch decisions and in formulating executive policy on behalf of
the state of Oklahoma.”
Brady R. Henderson, ACLU of
Oklahoma legal director, said the
ACLU will file a motion for summary
judgment, which essentially asks the
court to rule in the group’s favor.
Athletics hall of fame inducts former editor
Former Weatherford Daily News
sports editor Thomas Lee was posthumously inducted into the Weatherford
Athletics Hall of Fame in May 2013.
Lee served as sports editor of the
WDN from 1986 to 2002 and later took
over as editor of the WDN.
“Serving as sports editor, Thomas
eventually became editor of the news-
paper. His loyal followers who loved
his style of writing and dedication to
the game encouraged him to take on
the position of editor. I don’t think he
loved it as much as being out on the
sidelines,” Phillip Reid, publisher of the
WDN said.
Lee died of breast cancer in 2005.
He was 42.
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
ONF selects scholarship
recipients for 2013-2014
The Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation has selected recipients of the 201314 ONF Scholarships and Breeden
Scholarship.
Kyle Hinchey, Murphy Mitchell and
Susannah Waite have been awarded
ONF Scholarships of $1,500 each.
Kyle Hinchey is a senior at Oklahoma State University. He was editor of
the Tulsa Community College Connection and is now a reporter at The Daily
O’Collegian.
Hinchey’s goals include an internship at the Tulsa World after his graduation in 2014. Hinchey will intern at
The Oklahoman this year.
“My passion for journalism will be
the biggest contributor to a successful
career,” he said. “My drive to succeed
has never diminished or faltered, but
only increases.”
Murphy Mitchell is a senior at OSU.
Mitchell already has some newspaper
experience.
“Throughout my tenure in the field,
my main objective has stayed the
same: Be reliable,” said Mitchell whose
career includes two years writing for
The Daily O’Collegian at OSU, covering
topics as diverse as crime and the arts.
Susannah Waite is a senior at Oklahoma City University. She interned
with the Oklahoma City Thunder and at
the Oklahoma Gazette in 2012.
Waite said, “Looking forward, my
goal is to work for a small daily news-
paper. I have come to love community journalism and I hope to pursue
a career that allows me to work within
this niche.”
This is the seventh year that ONF
has awarded three $1,500 scholarships
to Oklahoma student journalists. The
recipients must be majoring in journalism or an equivalent degree program
and must be a junior or senior at an
Oklahoma college or university.
ONF also awarded the Breeden
Scholarship. The $1,000 Bob and Marion Breeden University of Oklahoma
Journalism Student Aid Fund Scholarship goes to a senior at OU each year.
This year’s winner, Joey Stipek, said,
“It is my goal to work as an investigative reporter or database reporter in
Oklahoma City in five to 10 years. I
have shown an interest in investigative
journalism ever since I took my first
newswriting class at Oklahoma City
Community College.”
Stipek has interned twice at The
Oklahoman and once with Oklahoma
Watch. While at OCCC, Stipek investigated open records violations, the
student homeless population and the
financial problems of the school’s
aquatic center.
The Breeden Scholarship was started by the Breeden family with a memorial donation to the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation in 2006.
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7
New co-publisher at Elk City Daily News
Jerry Perkinson, husband to The
Elk City Daily News’ publisher Elizabeth Wade Perkinson, has joined the
Daily News as co-publisher.
His initial duties include those of
interim circulation manager.
Before starting at the Daily News,
Perkinson served as IT manager for
First National Bank and Trust of Elk
City, where he worked for almost two
years.
“It’s completely different,” Perkinson said. “It’s more about getting
the product out and distributed as
opposed to maintenance and upgrades
to IT.”
Perkinson said the job has a “steep
learning curve” but he’s confident
he’ll get the hang of his duties.
“I am thrilled that Jerry will be officially joining the Daily News team,”
said Publisher Elizabeth Wade Perkinson. “Not only will his technical
Jerry Perkinson
expertise and business background
help provide a more seamless workflow behind the scenes, but also more
visible changes will be coming later in
the year. The Daily News has always
been family to me, and now will be
even more so.”
8
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
Donate
to ONF
A donation to the
Oklahoma Newspaper
Foundation will support
its efforts to improve the
state’s newspaper industry
and quality of journalism.
ONF’s programs include
training and education for
professional journalists,
scholarship and internship
programs for journalism
students, and Newspaper in
Education efforts.
ONF relies on donations
and memorial contributions
to fund these programs.
If you would like to make
a donation, please send a
check to:
OKLAHOMA
NEWSPAPER
FOUNDATION
3601 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
DEATHS
DONALD LEE MANLEY,
former Tulsa
World circulation manager, died May
12, 2013. He was 85.
Manley was a native of Havelock,
Neb., where he grew up on a farm.
His family later moved to Oklahoma
and settled in Tulsa.
Manley delivered the Tulsa World
when he was younger.
After returning from serving in the
Pacific theater during World War II,
he followed his father’s footsteps and
began working in the Tulsa World’s
circulation department.
The one-time paper carrier for the
World went on to become a zone manager in state circulation. He retired
from the World in 1998, at age 72, after
43 years with the company.
He is survived by two sons, Jimmy
Manley and Brian Manley; a brother,
David Manley; a sister, Norma Vallon;
and four grandchildren.
DR. DURWARD EARL NEWSOM, a writer, historian and journalism professor,
died May 15, 2013. He was 94.
Newsom was born on Jan. 9, 1919,
in Drumright. He began his journalism
career while in high school when he
was hired by the Drumright Journal
as a reporter and sports writer at the
age of 16.
He continued to work at the paper
for four years after graduating from
high school, becoming editor and then
manager.
He enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve
during World War II. After the war, U.S.
Congressman Lyle H. Boren selected
Newsom as his chief administrative
aide in Washington, D.C. He resigned
after 18 months to pursue a bachelor’s
degree at Oklahoma A&M University.
Newsom graduated in 1948 with a
bachelor’s degree in journalism and
business. He was the commercial manager of KSPI radio while in school.
He earned a masters of science
degree in journalism at the Medill
School of Journalism at Northwestern
University in 1949.
From 1949 to 1954, he taught journalism at Texas A&M. After leaving
Texas A&M, Newsom pursued a doctorate in education at Oklahoma State
University. He moved to the Lamar
Daily News in Colorado as managing
editor after graduating.
In 1957, he accepted a position as a
professor of journalism at the University of Maryland. He retired from Maryland in 1979 and returned to Stillwater.
There he authored nine books on
the history of Payne County, Stillwater
and Oklahoma.
Newsom is survived by his sister,
Bernice May of Oklahoma City, and
numerous nieces and nephews.
AL RODGERS,
former editor of The
Tribune in Bethany, Okla., died May
24, 2013. He was 69.
Rodgers was born in Anadarko, but
spent 44 years of his life in Warr Acres.
He graduated from Putnam City
High School in 1961 and married his
high school sweetheart, Sheron Folsom Rodgers, in 1964.
He was editor of the company newspaper at Western Electric, AT&T and
Lucent, where he was employed for 32
years.
He retired in 2001 and was editor
of the Northwest Metro Times and
assistant editor of the Bethany Tribune.
He also served as editor of the Putnam
City Alumni Newsletter.
Recently, he had worked on collecting, editing and rewriting more than 80
personal stories that are to be included
in the Putnam City 100th Birthday
Book.
He also wrote numerous short stories and co-wrote a book, “The Yankee
Dollar Conspiracy.”
He is survived by his wife, Sheron;
children Robyn Fansler, Greg Rodgers
and Dondi Rodgers; brothers Gene
Rodgers and Keith Rodgers; sister Virginia Martin; five grandchildren; and
three great-grandchildren.
JOHN TAYLOR, a longtime publisher of
served in Guam. Prior to his deployment, he met Sue Hackleman of Stillwater. They married in 1950.
After his discharge, Taylor attended
Oklahoma A&M until he returned to
Enid to help run the family publishing
business.
The Taylor family managed the sales
and business operations, while the Garber family ran the news side.
John Taylor served as president of
Enid Publishing Co. and was an owner
until 1989. He also was an owner of
Enid radio stations KCRC and KNIDFM and Enid Two-Way.
He is survived by his wife, Sue, of
the home; two sons, Tom and wife
Betsy Taylor of Steamboat Springs,
Colo., and Steve and Lori Taylor of
Woodward; two daughters, Kathryn
and her husband Mike Upchurch of
Woodward, and Susan Mayberry of
Yukon; his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.
Enid newspapers, died June 14, 2013,
after a lengthy illness. He was 85.
The Taylor family and the Garber
family published the Enid Morning
News and Enid Daily Eagle for two
generations until selling the newspapers in 1989. The two daily papers then
merged into the Enid News & Eagle.
Taylor graduated from Enid High
School in 1944 at age 16. Shortly afterward, he enlisted in the Air Force and
In memory of our Friends and Colleagues
Charles Wesley Abbott, June 5, 2011
Leticia Rutledge Holladay, June 25, 2011
Phillip Thomas Cowan, June 28, 2012
Ann DeFrange, June 10, 2012
Mark Hutchison, June 6, 2012
Fred Gordon Turner, June 15, 2012
Julianna ‘Julie’ Guy Arrowood, July 29, 2011
Oscar Tolliver ‘O.T.’ Brooks, July 26, 2011
Earl Reeves, July 4, 2011
Dave Sclair, July 26, 2011
Delmer Durwood ‘Jack’ Stone, July 16, 2011
Lloyd Thomas Clawson, July 24, 2012
Deanna Kay Foster, July 25, 2012
Omer Gillham, July 9, 2012
Jesse Ray Turner, July 10, 2012
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
9
Oklahoma newspapers react to tragedy
Clark’s Critique
by Terry Clark
Journalism Professor,
University of Central Oklahoma,
TClark@uco.edu
“The crying starts nearly every hour.
There is no warning or preamble, just
an overall flow of tears and emotions.
/ That was the routine of 11-year-old
Brady McKay for two days after he and
his classmates were trapped inside at
Briarwood Elementary School on May
20 during the most devastating tornado
to ever hit the state.” --Michael Kinney
So begins the story, “Walking the
path of tornado’s destruction” in the
hometown paper at the center of this
tragic tornado season in Oklahoma,
The Moore American.
I read lots of leads, scanned dozens
of headlines, poured over local angles
and a multitude of great writing and
photography in almost every paper in
the state for the week after the storms,
much of it written with tears, under
duress, on tight deadlines.
Michael’s writing stood out because
it so summarized the humanity of Oklahoma journalism, the ability of our
newspapers to fill a void of normality
in our readers’ lives, to touch on what
is important and to tell the stories that
affect us all.
That’s what we do best – we tell
people’s stories in context and help our
citizens heal and cope. We go to the
Internet and the TV weather people
for the radar and life-saving weather
warnings, even while we flinch at their
wordiness and self-promotion, as do
many Okies.
But when the storms are past, and
the national TV people have parachuted
in and out, we want to see it, read
about it, touch the reassuring pages
and writing of our local newspapers…
sources we trust because they’re our
neighbors.
Michael’s writing also touched me
because of our work with victims,
showing an angle and theme we need
more coverage of, that of children, and
adults, who will have recurring problems from the trauma.
That’s just one of the angles I saw
in many of our papers, large and small.
One of the biggest stories coming
out of the tragedies is the “debate”
Storm coverage (clockwise from top
left) from The Moore American, The
Wynnewood Gazette, Tulsa Beacon,
Woods County Enterprise, The Hobart
Democrat Chief and The Journal Record .
over school safe rooms. (Editorial comment, spurred by a talk with a Tulsa oil
and gas friend who said if we can pass
million-dollar bond issues to fund new
football turf at Union, don’t tell me we
can’t mandate and fund safe rooms.)
There shouldn’t be a discussion or
debate.
Tulsa World’s Ziva Branstetter,
“School safe room efforts build,” and
The Oklahoman’s Michael McNutt,
“School shelter need: a new reality?,”
headed multi-part packages. Newspapers doing what they’re supposed to
do…leading the community.
Want to involve your readers? This is
an issue that if pushed by every newspaper, could force immediate changes.
What are you waiting for? More kids to
die? Only 85 schools of more than 500
in the state have safe rooms.
Please note: there are so many
examples of really great journalism
across the state. I could only pick a few.
The school safety issue and storm
preparation was repeated throughout
the state. Some I saw:
• Sayre Record & Beckham County
Continued on Page 10
10
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
Clark’s Critique Continued from Page 9
Democrat, Dayva Spitzer, “How safe are
our school children?”
• The Hennessey Clipper, Coty Green,
“Schools are ready for storms says
Hennessey superintendent.”
• The Daily Elk Citian, Laura Eastes,
“The cost of safety,” quoting the superintendent, “No safe rooms. We are at
the mercy of weather.”
• Clinton Daily News, Gerald Green,
“Official says better storm plan needed.”
• Wagoner Tribune, Zane Thomas,
“Storm shelters needed in Wagoner.”
• Enid News & Eagle, Phyllis Zorn,
“Enid schools: Designated areas, but
no safe rooms.”
• Bristow News, Caleb Brabham,
“Moore Tragedy raises local questions.”
I’m not really writing about the nextday coverage of our daily newspapers
here, produced under pressure and so
crucial to our collective survival with
so many examples of excellent, ethical
journalism. I’m just so impressed with
the scope and passion of the coverage.
The storms proved that all news in
Oklahoma is local. There was coverage
in The Boise City News, 336 miles away
in the panhandle, showing local efforts
to help. That was another common
angle.
• The Kingfisher Times & Free Press,
Christine Reid, “Everything is just
toothpicks,” including locals helping
and “How you can help.”
• El Reno Tribune, Glen Miller,
“Learning from life’s playbook,” about
football team helping recovery.
• The Wynnewood Gazette, Shannon
Kile, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Here’s her lead: “‘You can’t keep an
Okie down for long,’ an elderly woman
declared as we passed by. / “They
were encouraging words that spread
like wildfire to those assembled in that
west Moore …”
• South County Leader, Nick De
Moss, “Generosity shines amid devastation at Moore.”
• Mustang Times, John Watje, “Mustang responds to tragedy.”
• Tulsa Beacon, “Huge recovery
underway in Moore” with photo by
K.T. King.
• Muskogee Phoenix, Cathy Spaulding, Dewayne Smoot, “Muskogee, area
offer help.”
• Perry Daily Journal, with a sign
of things to come, a front-page Twitter
photo of the Shawnee tornado by Matthew Kennedy.
• Coweta American, Christy Wheeler, “Surviving the storm, Oklahomans
show support by responding to neighbors in crisis.” Here’s Christy’s lead,
summarizing the Okie attitude:
“‘I am not a victim. I am a survivor.’ /
“Those are the words of Mike Wallace
of Moore, whose house ….”
As I’ve said before, there are really
two Oklahomas, the urban and rural,
and news coverage reflects that. The
big storm at Moore got most of the
attention, state and national, because
that is the nature of news – the more
people affected, the bigger the news.
But many other Oklahomans in
smaller communities were also affected, and that is where local newspapers shine. There is resentment among
rural folks at the coverage of the metro
areas, in print and on the air especially,
to the neglect of rural areas. I know
this as a former rural editor, but also
because I listen to former students
from places like Wellston. This so illustrates the need for great community
journalism, which we have in this state.
This attitude was captured by Louise
Red Corn at The Bigheart Times.
Headline: “Small towns stick together.” Sally Asher’s lead: “After last
Monday’s storms, smaller Oklahoma
communities that suffered damage
received little media attention in the
face of Moore, but bighearted donors
still found a way to support the little
guys. / “Emmy Reynolds and her husband John, of Pawhuska… .”
FRONT PAGE COVERAGE OF THE MAY 2013 OKLAHOMA TORNADOES
A sampling of front page tornado coverage gathered by the OPA staff appear on this and the following page.
Continued on Page 11
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
Clark’s Critique Continued from Page 10
Other local reporting:
• The Hobart Democrat-Chief, Todd
Hancock, “Hobart native soothed children during Moore tornado by singing
Jesus loves me.”
• The Ada News, Art Swanson,
“‘There is a tornado on the ground.’”
• Countywide & Sun, Virginia Bradshaw, “How Dale School became ‘Tornado Relief Central.’”
There are lots of other angles to
tornado coverage, witness our newspapers:
• Tulsa Business and Legal News,
Brian Ervin, “Preparing for the last
disaster,” about storm shelter sales.
• The Gage Record, “Fake charities
prey on Oklahoma tornado victims.”
• The Shawnee News-Star, Kim Morava, “Free replacements of birth certificates.”
• Broken Arrow Ledger, Sarah
McCallion, “Local businesses aid relief
efforts.”
• Minco-Union City Times, Jon Watje,
reflecting on the tornado 40 years ago.
One of the best local treatments
to the storm was the in-depth reporting at the Woods County Enterprise in
Waynoka. Some city officials sent aid
to Moore and, while it’s complicated, it
caused an uproar in the city. If it weren’t
for the newspaper, none of this would
have come to light and be settled, with
an in-depth interview by the paper.
Head: “Fire Storm Brews Over City
Hall.”
Here’s an excerpt: “Many things are
being said on all sides of the issues and
the Waynoka Citizens have the right
to know the facts without skewing the
actual truth with personal agendas and
personality conflicts. But, unfortunately
that is not possible and the public will
have to discern for themselves.”
A note about the photography in
our papers. I still, pun unintentional,
believe that those photos in our pages
mean more than the dramatic videos
we see. I am entranced by the action
shots of twisters, but when I want to see
emotions, real people, nothing beats
newspaper photography. There was lots
of it, becoming iconic. My favorite happened to be from AP photographer Sue
Ogrocki, shown large in The Journal
Record. Much of the photo coverage
from AP, The Oklahoman (Paul Hellstern), Tulsa World (Mike Simons), and
others became iconic. It reflects who
we are as a people.
Now a few more headlines, no ranking this month…too much competition.
• Perry Daily Journal, “Death and
destruction,” Gloria Brown
• Norman Transcript, “Deadly déjà
vu”
• The Garvin County News Star,
“Night of fury escaped,” Jeff Shultz
• Yukon Review, “Help Thy Neighbor,” Conrad Dudderar
11
• The Lawton Constitution, “Slammed
again”
• Bethany Tribune, “Heartbreak,”
Nathan Winfrey
• The Ardmoreite, “Tough road
ahead,” Michael Pineda with Don
Alquist photo
12
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
ADVENTURES IN
ufactured with the Watonga Cheese
name.”
Through the ups and downs, the
Republican has been the town’s primary source for news and information.
OUR NEXT STOP was at The Vici Vision
… it’s a bird …it’s a plane …
it’s OPA President Jeff Shultz visiting superheroes at Oklahoma newspapers.
On Thursday and Friday, April 25 &
26, Mark Thomas and I made a tour up
through Northwest Oklahoma to visit
several newspapers.
OUR FIRST STOP
was in Watonga to
meet with Carla Schultz, general manager of the Watonga Republican.
Carla has been a long-time newspaper person, starting as a reporter right
out of high school for the Fairview
Republican.
She started working for the Watonga
Republican a little over two years ago as
the advertising manager.
The Watonga Republican was established in 1892 and has proudly served
the residents of Watonga since.
This is a tradition Carla is proud to
be a part of.
“The residents will tell me when
we’re doing good and when we’re doing
bad,” she chuckled.
Carla also is the general manager for
the Hinton Record.
In her spare time, when she does
have spare time, she’s the local country
western star for Watonga.
“I do some singing at local talent
shows, for the local Kiwanis Club and
for our community theater,” she admitted.
Watonga, like most small towns in
Oklahoma, has its unique economic
challenges. The privately owned prison
is currently sitting dormant, the local
hospital is having some financial roadblocks and several years ago the famed
Watonga Cheese Factory was forced to
close its doors due to flooding.
The cheese factory owners sold the
business to a Perryton, Texas, firm
shortly after the flood.
“We still have our Cheese Festival,”
Carla said. “And the cheese is still man-
where we visited with publisher Wathena Walton and managing editor Erica
Morris.
Both ladies publish a quality weekly
paper for the Vici area, which averages
around 20 pages per week.
Like most small weekly newspapers,
meeting deadlines can sometimes be a
challenge, especially when you’re dealing with stringers.
“I have one correspondent who is
late every week. If she would get me
her column then I can get that page
finished,” Walton said.
Before coming to Vici, Walton used
to work in Enid for a man who owned
the first IBM typesetting machine in
the nation. The job was with the Vance
Air Force Base newspaper.
Morris has been working for the
paper a little over a year.
Being a paper of two staff members,
you have to be able multitask, Walton
said.
“You’ve got to be able to type, talk on
the phone and do a variety of things at
the same time,” she said.
The paper was actually started by
Taking a look at old publishing equipment at The Mooreland Leader’s office are Jeff Schnoebelen, co-publisher of The Mooreland
Leader; OPA President Jeff Shultz; Tim Schnoeblen, Leader co-publisher; and OPA Executive Vice President Mark Thomas.
the Vici Chamber of Commerce after
the old Vici Beacon had ceased publication for several years.
“They did without a paper for so
long, they were tickled to death to have
a paper,” Walton recalled.
Walton came to work for the paper
based on her past experience. A few
years later the Chamber of Commerce
sold the paper to Walton.
On top of her duties at the Vision,
she helps the Taloga newspaper produce its pages each week.
THURSDAY’S DAY ENDED with a stop
at the Woodward News. Publisher Sheila
Gay and her staff were busy commemorating the first anniversary of the
Woodward tornado.
During last year’s tornado, many
residents in Woodward depended on
the Woodward News for reliable information on where to apply for disaster
assistance, where to obtain donated
items and, more importantly, the paper
helped the community pull together
during a tragic time.
Sheila and her staff are dedicated to
Woodward and it shows in their news
coverage as well as the niche products
they produce.
“If asked, there is simply no reason
I can pinpoint on why I choose to live
in Woodward other than this simple
fact, community,” Sheila wrote in the
introduction to one of the paper’s niche
products.
The paper is heavily involved in the
community, working with the Chamber
and Main Street program as well as
helping create some special events.
ON FRIDAY, APRIL 26, we traveled to
Mooreland to see Tim Schnoebelen,
owner and co-publisher of The Mooreland Leader.
Tim is a third generation newspaperman and The Mooreland Leader has
been in his family from its inception.
And the paper will remain in the
Schnoebelen family for another generation, as his son, Jeff, will take over the
reins someday.
The week before our visit the paper
celebrated its 110th anniversary with a
reception at the paper office in Mooreland.
“We had several people here for it,”
Tim recalled.
Tim and Jeff took the visitors on
a tour of the paper, firing up the old
Linotype machine to show how the
paper was set in the early days and
Continued on page 13
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
The final stop of the April trip was at The Kingfisher Times & Free Press where OPA
President Jeff Shultz, third from left, met with members of the Reid family including
recently retired publisher Gary Reid, his wife and editor Christine Reid, and Barry
Reid, who took over as publisher when his father, Gary, retired.
ADVENTURES
The error was discovered after the
paper had been printed.
demonstrating the newest technology
of sending a page from their computer
straight to an imagesetter.
Tim’s grandfather, Omer F. Schnoebelen, started the paper 110 years ago
with Tim’s father, Omer N., taking over
the operation in 1946. Tim and his wife,
Karen, then bought the paper from his
father in 1972.
“My dad was a genius,” Tim said,
pointing to a school clock hanging
on the wall of the paper’s production
office.
On the face of the clock was a cutout
place near the six o’clock mark.
“Dad rigged this clock to where
when the clock hit a trip wire he put
in that hole, it would automatically fire
up the Linotype machine so it would be
ready to go when he got to work each
morning,” he said.
Tim also showed us several other
inventions his father had developed
using spare parts from old cars and just
about anything else he could find.
Each year, as most of you know,
Mark Thomas has his special Blooper
Show where he reveals various mistakes papers have made over the past
year – much to the delight of many and
much to the disdain of those who committed the errors.
I believe the best Blooper story I’ve
ever heard was when Tim’s dad made
the whole staff use felt tip markers to
change an “r” to a “n” when the newspaper headline mistakenly read “Susan
Smith crowned FFA Queer.”
OUR FINAL STOP of the trip was at The
Kingfisher Times & Free Press. Barry
Reid is the publisher of the paper, taking over after his father, Gary Reid,
retired.
Gary still hangs around the office
and was there when Mark and I stopped
by for a quick visit.
Barry and his staff were busy working on the weekend edition, but he took
time to “talk shop” with us.
Gary and his family have been longtime newspaper people. Gary got his
start at the Pauls Valley Daily Democrat.
In 1963, he was named the managing
editor of the The Wewoka Daily Times
and was there six years until he bought
The Hollis News.
Ten years later he moved his family to Kingfisher after purchasing the
Times & Free Press in 1979.
For over 30 years the Reids have
published the Times & Free Press with
his wife, Christine, handling the editor’s job and Barry handling the advertising up to the time Gary retired.
Of course. Kingfisher is the site
when in May of 1893 the Oklahoma
Press Association established the Oklahoma Historical Society. There is a
historical marker commemorating the
event in Kingfisher.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
But all have one quality about them that
ties them all together and that is commitment. Commitment to their community and a commitment to preserving that community’s unique history
through the pages of the printed word.
Continued from page 12
13
OPA President Jeff Shultz, center, looks at the latest issue of the Woodward News
with publisher Sheila Gay and editor Johnny McMahan.
At the Vici Vision, OPA President Jeff Shultz visited with managing Erica Morris, left,
and publisher Wathena Walton.
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14
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
Staying connected to the Internet during disasters
Computer Notes
from the road
by Wilma Melot
wmelot@okpress.com
Ice storms, thunderstorms and tornadoes, all common here, can interrupt
power and communications in a heartbeat – sometimes for days.
Recent deadly weather in Oklahoma
reminded us all just how critical communication can be and, specifically,
how important the Internet can be to
newspapers serving afflicted areas.
It’s important to have a back-up plan
in place before you need it, and to stay
connected.
In advance, I suggest you sync
smartphones and mobile devices to
computers so you can transfer images
and content quickly when the Internet
is down. Also, you might map out local
Internet hotspots around town in case
the coffee shop two miles away has a
connection and you don’t.
Of course, it’s possible that during a
worst-case situation, such as a tornado,
everyone in the area is down, regardless of who their provider is.
Tethering is an option. Tethering
is connecting your cell or smartphone
to your computer and using it as a
modem. It’s slow and it’s expensive,
but it works.
Only certain phones are capable and
only certain providers offer it. Many
providers require that you have a highend contract data plan before they’ll
give you the option to tether. It can be
$50 to $80 or more and if cell service is
also down, it still might not work.
Also, consider that downloading features like comics from an online source
might take a while and cost you extra
dollars in bandwidth.
If this is an option for you, make sure
you buy a fast phone that’s 4G LTE and
has a speedy processor. Besides Apple
iPhone, look at Samsung. Samsung’s
Galaxy S4 has four co-processors and
it’s 1.9 GHz – that’s pretty fast. Another
nice feature of the S4 is a 13-megapixel
camera.
You might also consider a standalone hotspot device that allows you to
connect and supply Internet access for
up to five wireless devices.
A broadband device that connects
via USB could get you connected, provided there’s a signal – a couple of
major cell providers offer these.
Before buying, I suggest you ask
whether you can return it if it doesn’t
work in your area of the state. Always
test the coverage before signing a longterm contract.
Tablets with cell network access are
also an option. Choose one that’s fast
and of good quality. They’re sold by cell
providers like AT&T, Sprint, Verizon or
T-Mobile.
If you don’t want to subscribe to the
network until you need it, retailers like
BestBuy will sell you the tablet without
the service. Just make sure the tablet
says it’s capable of using cellular service.
Again, much of this depends upon
cell towers working in your area. As
the people of Moore might tell you, it
was several days before the cell phones
came back on in that area after the May
20 tornado. The twister took out two
towers.
It’s probably easier to find an area
with service in a big metro area than in
a small, rural community.
Power – that’s your other big concern. The generators were humming
in my neighborhood for days after the
tornado.
If you don’t already have a generator,
LEGAL ADVICE
is just one of the benefits of being a member of the Oklahoma Press
Association’s Legal Services Plan. Remove the worry of needing
professional advice by enrolling today. For more information contact:
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION’S
LEGAL SERVICES PLAN
1-888-815-2672 or 405-499-0020
do some research before buying one.
Not just any old power plant will do.
You want to find one that’s capable
of putting out constant power. You don’t
want to fry your electronics with surges. A battery backup surge protector is
a good thing to have between the generator and your computer but it’s still
possible to damage your equipment.
In fact, many APC battery backups
won’t work with a smaller generator.
They’ll activate the battery and run
on it until it dies. However, use one
anyway when you’re testing the power
output of a generator.
High-end generators with surge protection built in work the best. You’ll
know you’re in the right neighborhood
when the price starts coming in around
$1,300. They’re generally big – 8000
watts or more.
Some papers already have a generator – if you don’t, you might consider
the investment.
DESIGNING MASTER PAGES
I’m often asked how to design better
template files for newspapers. If you
are not a fan of the library, but do run
standard pages each week, you might
want to take a few minutes to design
some master pages for your paper.
Auto numbering is often the only
feature we use on master pages, but
they have lots of uses.
A master page is like a background
that appears on all pages you assign
it to. Objects on the master appear on
every page with the master applied.
The master pages are located above the
line in the Pages palette. To activate the
page, double click it.
It’s important to know that you cannot print a master page. To use the
master page, drag it over the top of one
of the documents pages in the lower
half of the pages palette. Now you can
print the elements on
the master page from
the document page.
InDesign allows you
to override any master
item from the Pages
palette flyout button.
Let’s start with the
auto number feature
since I get asked about
this a lot. If you’re
using InDesign, draw a
text box on the master
page where you want the page number
located. Then select Type > Insert Special
Character > Markers > Current Page Number. This will insert a small “a” in the
text box. This little “a” will be displayed
as the corresponding page number for
each new page you create.
Master pages also let you change
the date line on the master page each
week without having to retype it on
each page.
For section header pages, make a
new master page from the flyout menu
in the palette and put the masthead for
that section on it. You can even rename
it to reflect that section, such as Sports,
Lifestyles, etc. To save it as a template
click the Save As... command. When
you lay out the paper next week, just
pull the Sports master down to the correct page and the header is done.
Your master could even have text
and empty picture packages that you
use over and over. On the master
page, set the picture frame options
to Fit Photo Proportionally and the text
to wrap. Now you don’t have to redo
those steps when you use that master.
All a new employee has to do is flow in
the stories/pictures and adjust the text
blocks to fit.
For any page that’s hard to create,
make a master. Just copy the empty
boxes and text blocks to the master
page in your template files for use
next year. Think of the time you’ll save
putting together a high school picture
page, graduation tab or standard editorial page.
In Quark, go to Page > Display A-master A or look in the Pages palette for the
master layout.
OPA Computer Consultant Wilma Melot’s column is
brought to you by the Oklahoma Advertising Network
(OAN). For more information on the OAN program,
contact Oklahoma Press Service at (405) 499-0020.
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
CONGRATULATIONS
2012 OKLAHOMA PRESS SERVICE PERFECTA WINNERS
The Perfecta Award was established by the Oklahoma Press Association
in 2012 to honor OPA member newspapers that achieve 100 percent
accuracy on advertising orders from Oklahoma Press Service
in the previous year. This year’s winners are listed below.
The Anadarko Daily News
The Antlers American
The Apache News
The Ardmoreite
Atoka County Times
The (Barnsdall) Bigheart Times
Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
The (Beaver) Herald-Democrat
The (Bethany) Tribune
(Bixby) South County Leader
Blackwell Journal-Tribune
Broken Bow News
The Chelsea Reporter
The (Chickasha) Express-Star
Choctaw County Times
Claremore Daily Progress
Clayton Today
The Clinton Daily News
Collinsville News
The Comanche County Chronicle
The Dewey County Record
Drumright Gusher
The Edmond Sun
The Ellis County Capital
Enid News & Eagle
The Fairfax Chief
The Frederick Press-Leader
The Freedom Call
Fort Gibson Times
The Gage Record
Garber-Billings News
Garfield County Legal News
The Geary Star
The Haskell News
The Healdton Herald
Heavener Ledger
The Hennessey Clipper
The Hinton Record
The Hominy News-Progress
The Hooker Advance
The Kingfisher Times
& Free-Press
Kiowa County Democrat
The Konawa Leader
The Lawton Constitution
The (Lawton) County Times
The Lincoln County News
The Logan County Courier
The Lone Grove Ledger
The Madill Record
Marietta Monitor
The Marlow Review
McIntosh County Democrat
The Mooreland Leader
Morris News
Mustang News
Mustang Times
The Newkirk Herald Journal
Northwest Oklahoman
& Ellis County News
The Okarche Chieftain
(OKC) Capitol Hill Beacon
Oklahoma City Friday
The (OKC) Journal Record
The Okeene Recorrd
Okemah News Leaader
Owasso Reporter
Pauls Valley Democcrat
Pawhuska Journal-Capital
The Pawnee Chief
The Perkins Journaal
Perry Daily Journal
The Piedmont-Surreey Gazette
The Ponca City New
ws
The Prague Times--Herald
The Ringling Eagle
The Rush Springs Gazette
The Ryan Leader
Sequoyah County Times
Sand Springs Leader
The Sayre Record
& Beckham County Democrat
The Seminole Producer
The (Shawnee) County Democrat
Skiatook Journal
Spiro Graphic
Stilwell Democrat-Journal
Stroud American
Sulphur Times-Democrat
Taloga Times-Advocate
The (Tecumseh) Countywide
& Sun
The Tonkawa News
Tulsa Beacon
Tulsa Business & Legal News
The Vici Vision
Woods County Enterprise
Weatherford Daily News
The Weleetkan
The Westville Reporter
(Westville) Weekly Express
The Wewoka Times
The Wilson Post-Democrat
Yukon Review
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
3601 N. LINCOLN BLVD., OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73105
(405) 499-0020 • www.OkPress.com
15
16
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
2012 OGE PHOTOS OF THE YEAR
AUGUST 2012 – Newkirk hosted a CPBR event.
Photo by DIXIE COLQUHOUN, Newkirk Herald Journal
2012 DAILY PHOTO OF THE YEAR
BRANDON NERIS
The Lawton Constitution
2012 WEEKLY PHOTO OF THE YEAR
DIXIE COLQUHOUN
Newkirk Herald Journal
Photos of the year are selected from the
12 monthly winners in the Daily and Weekly Divisions.
Judge for the 2012 Photo of the Year Contest was Terry Clark,
journalism professor in the Department of Mass Communications at the
University of Central Oklahoma
DECEMBER 2012 – Illuminated by candlelight, Deshawn Sexton, 8,
remembers his fallen peers from Newtown, Conn., during a candlelight vigil
at Elmer Thomas Park.
Photo by BRANDON NERIS,The Lawton Constitution
Contest rules are available at www.OkPress.com
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The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
17
OPA CONVENTION
SNAPSHOTS
June 13-15, 2013
Reed Center, Midwest City, OK
Joe Foote, dean of the Gaylord College at the University of
Oklahoma, talking to Matt Montgomery from The Purcell Register.
Chris and Sheryl Rush, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise,
use smartphones to check on business.
Gracie Montgomery shows a text message to her
husband, John D. Montgomery. The Montgomerys
are from The Purcell Register.
Lynn Martin, Alva Review-Courier, shows his camera
equipment to Tom Muchmore, Ponca City News, and John
D. Montgomery, Purcell Register.
Carla Shultz from the Wewoka Times, sits with Jessie and Zonelle Rainbolt from the Cordell Beacon at a
session at the OPA Convention.
Two writers – M. Scott Carter from The Journal Record and John
Small from Johnston County Capital-Democrat – share a moment at
the OPA Convention.
Terry Clark, University of Central Oklahoma journalism professor, and
Dave Rhea from The Journal Record talk shop at the convention.
18
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
2012 OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
BETTER NEWSPAPER
CONTEST WINNERS
Winners of the 2012 OPA Sequoyah Awards display their plaques at the June 14 Awards Banquet at the Reed Center in Midwest City. Standing: Jeff
Funk, Enid News & Eagle, Division 1, Dailies; Derek Manning, The Daily Elk Citian, Division 3, Dailies; Jeff Mayo, Sequoyah County Times, Division
8, Semi-, Twin or Tri-weekly; Zane Thomas, Wagoner Tribune, Division 6, Weeklies; G.B. Poindexter, Broken Arrow Ledger, Sustaining Division. Seated:
John D. Montgomery, The Purcell Register, Division 4, Weeklies; Sally Asher, The Daily O’Collegian, Oklahoma State University, College Division; John
M. Wylie II, Oologah Lake Leader, Division 5, Weeklies; Barbara Vice, Drumright Gusher, Division 7, Weeklies. Not pictured is the winner of Division
2, Dailies, the McAlester News-Capital.
DIVISION 1:
Dailies circ. 8,000 or more
Sequoyah Award Winner:
ENID NEWS & EAGLE
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1 Enid News & Eagle
2 The Norman Transcript
3 The Lawton Constitution
4 Muskogee Phoenix
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 The Norman Transcript
2 Enid News & Eagle
3 None
4 None
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 Enid News & Eagle
2 The Norman Transcript
3 The Lawton Constitution
4 Muskogee Phoenix
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 The Norman Transcript
2 Enid News & Eagle
3 Muskogee Phoenix
4 The Lawton Constitution
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 Enid News & Eagle
2 Muskogee Phoenix
3 The Norman Transcript
4 The Lawton Constitution
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 Enid News & Eagle
2 The Lawton Constitution
3 Muskogee Phoenix
4 The Norman Transcript
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 Muskogee Phoenix
2 Enid News & Eagle
3 The Lawton Constitution
4 The Norman Transcript
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 The Norman Transcript
2 Enid News & Eagle
3 The Lawton Constitution
4 Muskogee Phoenix
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 The Norman Transcript
2 Enid News & Eagle
3 None
4 None
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 Muskogee Phoenix
2 Enid News & Eagle
3 The Norman Transcript
4 The Lawton Constitution
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 The Lawton Constitution
2 The Norman Transcript
3 Muskogee Phoenix
4 Enid News & Eagle
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 Enid News & Eagle
2 The Lawton Constitution
3 The Norman Transcript
4 None
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
DIVISION 2:
Dailies circ. 4,000 to 8,000
Sequoyah Award Winner:
McALESTER
NEWS-CAPITAL
DIVISION 3:
Dailies circ. less than 4,000
Sequoyah Award Winner:
THE DAILY ELK CITIAN
DIVISION 4:
Weeklies circ. 2,700 or more
Sequoyah Award Winner:
THE PURCELL REGISTER
19
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1 McAlester News-Capital
2 The Ada News
3 The Shawnee News-Star
4 The Ardmoreite
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 The Ponca City News
2 McAlester News-Capital
3 The Duncan Banner
4 Claremore Daily Progress
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
2 McAlester News-Capital
3 The Ada News
4 The Ardmoreite
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 The Ada News
2 The Ardmoreite
3 Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
4 Stillwater NewsPress
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 McAlester News-Capital
2 The Ardmoreite
3 Stillwater NewsPress
4 The Shawnee News-Star
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 Claremore Daily Progress
2 The Ada News
3 Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
4 The Seminole Producer
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 The Ada News
2 The Seminole Producer
3 The Shawnee News-Star
4 The Duncan Banner
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
2 The Ada News
3 The Shawnee News-Star
4 McAlester News-Capital
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 The Seminole Producer
2 McAlester News-Capital
3 The Duncan Banner
4 The Ponca City News
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 Stillwater NewsPress
2 Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
3 The Ardmoreite
4 The Duncan Banner
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 The Ponca City News
2 Claremore Daily Progress
3 McAlester News-Capital
4 The Seminole Producer
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 The Shawnee News-Star
2 The Duncan Banner
3 Mcalester News-Capital
4 The Express-Star (Chickasha)
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1 The Daily Elk Citian
2 The Elk City Daily News
3 The Miami News-Record
3 Tahlequah Daily Press
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 The Journal Record (OKC)
2 The Clinton Daily News
3 Woodward News
4 The Elk City Daily News
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 Vinita Daily Journal
2 The Clinton Daily News
3 The Elk City Daily News
4 The Miami News-Record
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 The Miami News-Record
2 The Daily Elk Citian
3 The Clinton Daily News
4 Tahlequah Daily Press
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 The Miami News-Record
2 The Daily Elk Citian
3 The Elk City Daily News
4 Woodward News
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 The Journal Record (OKC)
2 Tahlequah Daily Press
3 The Daily Elk Citian
4 Poteau Daily News
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 The Daily Elk Citian
2 Tahlequah Daily Press
3 The Journal Record (OKC)
4 The Elk City Daily News
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 The Clinton Daily News
2 The Journal Record (OKC)
3 The Daily Elk Citian
4 Vinita Daily Journal
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 The Clinton Daily News
2 The Elk City Daily News
3 Woodward News
4 The Daily Elk Citian
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 The Journal Record (OKC)
2 The Daily Elk Citian
3 Vinita Daily Journal
4 Poteau Daily News
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 The Journal Record (OKC)
2 The Daily Elk Citian
3 The Clinton Daily News
4 Tahlequah Daily Press
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 The Journal Record (OKC)
2 Woodward News
3 The Daily Elk Citian
4 Vinita Daily Journal
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1 The Purcell Register
2 Owasso Reporter
3 Oklahoma City Friday
4 Stigler News-Sentinel
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 The Purcell Register
2 Johnston County
Capital-Democrat
3 Stigler News-Sentinel
4 Oklahoma City Friday
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 Oklahoma City Friday
2 Johnston County
Capital-Democrat
3 Nowata Star
4 The Madill Record
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 The Purcell Register
2 The Madill Record
3 Nowata Star
4 Stigler News-Sentinel
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 Owasso Reporter
2 The Purcell Register
3 Johnston County
Capital-Democrat
4 The Madill Record
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 Atoka County Times
2 Nowata Star
3 Oklahoma City Friday
4 Johnston County
Capital-Democrat
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 Owasso Reporter
2 The Madill Record
3 Stigler News-Sentinel
4 The Purcell Register
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 Johnston County
Capital-Democrat
2 The Purcell Register
3 The Madill Record
4 Atoka County Times
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 Nowata Star
2 Johnston County
Capital-Democrat
3 The Purcell Register
4 The Madill Record
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 Oklahoma City Friday
2 Stigler News-Sentinel
3 Owasso Reporter
4 Johnston County
Capital-Democrat
CONVENTION COVERAGE
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 Owasso Reporter
2 Stigler News-Sentinel
3 Nowata Star
4 The Purcell Register
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 Johnston County
Capital-Democrat
2 The Madill Record
3 Stigler News-Sentinel
4 The Purcell Register
20
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
DIVISION 5:
Weeklies circ. 1,900 to 2,700
Sequoyah Award Winner:
OOLOGAH LAKE LEADER
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1 The Marlow Review
2 The Sayre Record &
Beckham County Democrat
3 South County Leader (Bixby)
4 The Garvin County News Star
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 The Delaware County Journal
2 Coweta American
3 The Sayre Record &
Beckham County Democrat
4 South County Leader (Bixby)
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 South County Leader (Bixby)
2 Choctaw Times
3 Oologah Lake Leader
4 The Cleveland American
DIVISION 6:
Weeklies circ. 1,200 to 1,899
Sequoyah Award Winner:
WAGONER TRIBUNE
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1 The Bigheart Times (Barnsdall)
2 Wagoner Tribune
3 The Eufaula Indian Journal
4 Skiatook Journal
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 Skiatook Journal
2 Wagoner Tribune
3 The Carnegie Herald
4 The Bigheart Times (Barnsdall)
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 Wagoner Tribune
2 Skiatook Journal
3 Cherokee Messenger
& Republican
4 The Carnegie Herald
DIVISION 7:
Weeklies circ. less than 1,200
Sequoyah Award Winner:
DRUMRIGHT GUSHER
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1
2
3
4
The Tuttle Times
Pawhuska Journal-Capital
McIntosh County Democrat
Waurika News-Democrat
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 The Newcastle Pacer
2 The Hennessey Clipper
3 The Tuttle Times
4 Pawhuska Journal-Capital
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 Collinsville News
2 The Tuttle Times
3 The Hollis News
4 The Newcastle Pacer
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 Oologah Lake Leader
2 The Marlow Review
3 The Cleveland American
4 Coweta American
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 The Garvin County News Star
2 The Delaware County Journal
3 Coweta American
4 Oologah Lake Leader
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 Oologah Lake Leader
2 The Garvin County News Star
3 Coweta American
4 The Sayre Record &
Beckham County Democrat
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 South County Leader (Bixby)
2 Coweta American
3 Choctaw Times
4 The Garvin County News Star
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 Oologah Lake Leader
2 The Garvin County News Star
3 Choctaw Times
4 The Cleveland American
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 The Eufaula Indian Journal
2 The Carnegie Herald
3 Wagoner Tribune
4 The Countywide & Sun
(Tecumseh)
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 The Garvin County News Star
2 The Delaware County Journal
3 The Sayre Record &
Beckham County Democrat
4 The Cleveland American
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 The Countywide & Sun
(Tecumseh)
2 Cherokee Messenger
& Republican
3 The Eufaula Indian Journal
4 Wagoner Tribune
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 Choctaw Times
2 Oologah Lake Leader
3 Coweta American
4 The Sayre Record &
Beckham County Democrat
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 The Marlow Review
2 The Cleveland American
3 Oologah Lake Leader
4 Coweta American
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 Oologah Lake Leader
2 Choctaw Times
3 The Garvin County News Star
4 Watonga Republican
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 The Bigheart Times (Barnsdall)
2 The Carnegie Herald
3 Wagoner Tribune
4 The Countywide & Sun
(Tecumseh)
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 The Eufaula Indian Journal
2 Vian Tenkiller News
3 The Bigheart Times (Barnsdall)
4 The Carnegie Herald
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 Cherokee Messenger
& Republican
2 The Bigheart Times (Barnsdall)
3 Wagoner Tribune
4 The Carnegie Herald
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 The Countywide & Sun
(Tecumseh)
2 Cherokee Messenger
& Republican
3 The Bigheart Times (Barnsdall)
4 Skiatook Journal
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 Vian Tenkiller News
2 Wagoner Tribune
3 The Countywide & Sun
(Tecumseh)
4 The Eufaula Indian Journal
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 Drumright Gusher
2 McIntosh County Democrat
3 The Tuttle Times
4 The Hennessey Clipper
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 Waurika News-Democrat
2 Drumright Gusher
3 The Westville Reporter
4 The Hooker Advance
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 The Tuttle Times
2 Pawhuska Journal-Capital
3 Waurika News-Democrat
4 McIntosh County Democrat
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 Drumright Gusher
2 The Hennessey Clipper
3 The Hooker Advance
4 Waurika News-Democrat
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 Pawhuska Journal-Capital
2 McIntosh County Democrat
3 Drumright Gusher
4 The Tonkawa News
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 Drumright Gusher
2 McIntosh County Democrat
3 The Hennessey Clipper
4 The Newcastle Pacer
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 Waurika News-Democrat
2 Drumright Gusher
3 The Tuttle Times
4 Collinsville News
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 The Newcastle Pacer
2 McIntosh County Democrat
3 The Hollis News
4 The Tonkawa News
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 Waurika News-Democrat
2 The Hennessey Clipper
3 McIntosh County Democrat
4 The Hooker Advance
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 The Countywide & Sun
2 The Bigheart Times (Barnsdall)
3 Vian Tenkiller News
4 The Eufaula Indian Journal
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 Cherokee Messenger
& Republican
2 The Countywide & Sun
(Tecumseh)
3 Wagoner Tribune
4 Skiatook Journal
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
DIVISION 8:
Semi-, Twin or Tri-Weeklies
Sequoyah Award Winner:
SEQUOYAH COUNTY TIMES
SUSTAINING MEMBER
NEWSPAPER DIVISION
Sequoyah Award Winner:
BROKEN ARROW LEDGER
COLLEGE DIVISION
Sequoyah Award Winner:
THE DAILY O’COLLEGIAN
(Oklahoma State University)
21
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1 Mustang News
2 The Grove Sun
3 Sequoyah County Times
4 The Edmond Sun
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 The Edmond Sun
2 Sequoyah County Times
3 The Grove Sun
4 Mustang News
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 The Grove Sun
2 Sequoyah County Times
3 Mustang News
4 The Edmond Sun
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 The Edmond Sun
2 Mustang News
3 Sequoyah County Times
4 The Grove Sun
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 Sequoyah County Times
2 The Grove Sun
3 The Edmond Sun
4 Mustang News
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 Sequoyah County Times
2 The Grove Sun
3 Mustang News
4 The Edmond Sun
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 Sequoyah County Times
2 Alva Review-Courier
3 The Grove Sun
4 Mustang News
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 Mustang News
2 Alva Review-Courier
3 Sequoyah County Times
4 The Edmond Sun
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 Mustang News
2 The Edmond Sun
3 Sequoyah County Times
4 Alva Review-Courier
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 Sequoyah County Times
2 Mustang News
3 The Edmond Sun
4 None
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 Mustang News
2 The Grove Sun
3 The Edmond Sun
4 Sequoyah County Times
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 The Edmond Sun
2 Sequoyah County Times
3 Mustang News
4 None
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1 Union Boundary
2 Broken Arrow Ledger
3 Biskinik
4 Mustang Times
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 Minco-Union City Times
2 Broken Arrow Ledger
3 Mustang Times
4 Biskinik
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 Osage News
2 Biskinik
3 Union Boundary
4 Mustang Times
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 Mustang Times
2 The Baptist Messenger
3 Broken Arrow Ledger
4 Union Boundary
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 Broken Arrow Ledger
2 Osage News
3 The Baptist Messenger
4 Union Boundary
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 Broken Arrow Ledger
2 Osage News
3 Mustang Times
4 Union Boundary
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 Osage News
2 Broken Arrow Ledger
3 Minco-Union City Times
4 Cheyenne & Arapaho
Tribal Tribune
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 Broken Arrow Ledger
2 Biskinik
3 Mustang Times
4 Union Boundary
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 Broken Arrow Ledger
2 Mustang Times
3 Union Boundary
4 Minco-Union City Times
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 Biskinik
2 The Baptist Messenger
3 Broken Arrow Ledger
4 Mustang Times
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 Biskinik
2 Cheyenne & Arapaho
Tribal Tribune
3 Osage News
4 Mustang Times
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 Mustang Times
2 Union Boundary
3 Osage News
4 Biskinik
EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT
1 The Oklahoma Daily
2 The Daily O’Collegian
3 The Cameron Collegian
4 TCC Connection
EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION
1 The Daily O’Collegian
2 The Oracle
3 None
4 None
EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS
1 The Cameron Collegian
2 The Daily O’Collegian
3 The Vista
4 The Oracle
EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE
1 The Oklahoma Daily
2 The Daily O’Collegian
3 The Oracle
4 The Vista
EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN
1 The Oracle
2 The Oklahoma Daily
3 OCCC Pioneer
4 The Vista
EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE
1 The Oklahoma Daily
2 The Oracle
3 The Daily O’Collegian
4 OCCC Pioneer
EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING
1 The Cameron Collegian
2 OCCC Pioneer
3 The Oklahoma Daily
4 The Daily O’Collegian
EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY
1 The Oracle
2 The Daily O’Collegian
3 The Cameron Collegian
4 The Bison
EVENT 3: ADVERTISING
1 The Daily O’Collegian
2 The Oracle
3 Northwestern News
4 TCC Connection
EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT
1 The Oklahoma Daily
2 The Oracle
3 OCCC Pioneer
4 The Daily O’Collegian
EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING
1 The Daily O’Collegian
2 The Oklahoma Daily
3 The Oracle
4 The Vista
EVENT 12:
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
1 The Oklahoma Daily
2 The Daily O’Collegian
3 The Oracle
4 15th Street News
CONVENTION COVERAGE
22
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
Willis Choate receives annual
Milt Phillips Award at convention
History of the OPA
Milt Phillips Award
H. Willis Choate III, the third
generation publisher of the Marietta Monitor, was the recipient of
the 2012 OPA Milt Phillips Award.
The award was presented June
14, 2013, during the OPA Convention at the Reed Center in Midwest City.
In his acceptance speech, Choate thanked three women who
influenced his life – his grandmother, his mother and his wife.
His grandmother, Madoline
Choate, began running the paper
in 1924 after the sudden death of
her husband, Henry Willis Choate. Her son, Willis Choate, Jr.,
was 13.
His mother, Wilma Choate,
began running the newspaper,
helping out her mother-in-law,
when Willis Choate Jr. left to
serve in World War II.
In 1952, Wilma Choate’s husband died.
“I was 13 years old,” said Choate. “My father was 13 when his
father died, I was 13 when my
father died.”
Wilma Choate ran the paper
alone until her son, Willis Choate
III, joined her as co-publisher after
graduating from the University of
Oklahoma in 1960. He worked
with his mother at the paper until
her death in 2005.
Choate’s wife, Norene, also
worked with Willis and his mother at the Monitor.
“I honor her [Norene], I honor
my mother, I honor my grandmother for what they instilled in
my life,” Choate said.
The Choate family and the
Monitor have been an integral
part of the history of Marietta
and Love County for 112 years.
The newspaper office remains at
The H. Milt Phillips Award is the highest honor given
by the Oklahoma Press Association.
Selection of the award is based on publishing a highquality newspaper; contribution to the profession and the
newspaper industry; years of service to the community,
state and nation in a variety of volunteer activities and
strong love and dedication to the family.
The award was established in 1978 by the OPA Board
of Directors to recognize individuals they felt gave the
same quality of service to family, community, country and
newspapers as had H. Milt Phillips.
“Honored by many, regarded by others, feared and
disliked by the crafty and corrupt,” is the way ‘Cluttered
Corner’ Phillips was described by those who founded the
award.
“Phillips was the kind of editor all editors should be,”
they wrote. “He was involved. He gave freely of his love
and concern...”
H. Milt Phillips purchased The Seminole Producer in
April 1946. Prior to beginning his newspaper career, he
served as department adjutant of the Oklahoma American
Legion and as editor of the Oklahoma Legionnaire.
He served for two years in the Navy during World
War II and, after returning home, was appointed by
Gov. Robert Kerr to reorganize war veteran services in
Oklahoma.
In 1950, Phillips and his brother Tom purchased
the two newspapers in Wewoka and merged them into
one publication. When Tom Phillips was diagnosed with
cancer in 1955, the brothers sold the Wewoka paper.
H. Milt Phillips and his son, Ted, then consolidated
the two Seminole papers to form The Seminole Daily
Producer.
Phillips was active in the Oklahoma Press Association,
holding several offices including president in 1954.
He was widely known as a civic leader and statewide
industrial booster. Phillips was a longtime member of the
Oklahoma Historical Society board of directors and was
the moving force in the society’s efforts to microfilm all
Oklahoma newspapers.
He served on the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and was
a member of the Oklahoma Public Expenditures Council,
Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma Safety
Council and Oklahoma Memorial Association.
He also was affiliated with several highway booster
groups and was inducted in the Oklahoma Heritage
Association’s Hall of Fame.
H. Milt Phillips died on Feb. 27, 1979.
The Oklahoma Press Association’s Milt Phillips Award was presented to Willis
Choate, right, publisher of the Marietta Monitor, during the OPA Convention.
Presenting the award was OPA President Jeff Shultz, publisher of the Garvin
County News Star.
104 West Main in a building purchased by Choate’s grandfather
in the 1920s.
Choate has been active in city
government for 22 years, serving
as a councilman for 10 years and
as mayor for 12 years. In addition,
he has served on the board of
directors for Love County Chamber of Commerce since 1961, as
well as serving as its vice president and president.
He also served on the Love
County Hospital Board; served
seven years on the Oklahoma
Judicial Nominating Committee;
is a member and president of
the Marietta Lions Club; and is a
member of the board of directors
for Southern Oklahoma Development Association.
Active in Boy Scout work, Choate was presented the Silver Beaver Award in 1982 and served as
president of the Arbuckle Area
Council.
He has been a member of the
Love County Industrial Foundation since 1963 and currently
serves as chairman. The foundation has been responsible for
securing several industries that
have located in Marietta including
Little Brownie Bakers, Marietta
Sportswear, Custom Conveyor
and Love County Hospital.
In addition to running the Monitor, Choate serves as president
of Choate Publishing Inc. and is a
director at the Firstbank of Marietta.
His wife, Norene, does accounting for the Monitor from home.
The Choates have two sons,
Willis IV and John, and four
grandchildren – Catherine, Connor, Aden and Grace Ann.
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
History of the ONF
Musselman Award
Presented annually by the Oklahoma Newspaper
Foundation, the Beachy Musselman Award recognizes
a journalist for his or her contribution to the field of
printed journalism or its related field. The recipient of the
award receives a plaque and $1,000.
The award, which was established in 1969 to recognize
and encourage quality journalism in practice, education
and research, is named after the late Norman Beachy
Musselman.
The former editor and general manager of the Shawnee
News-Star also served as president of the Oklahoma Press
Association.
Musselman was born July 17, 1897, in Falls City, Neb.,
graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1918 and
did graduate work at the University of Kansas in 1920
and 1921.
From 1922-23, he was city editor of the Arkansas City
Daily News in Kansas and, from 1924 to 1942, served as
ad manager of the Arkansas City Traveler.
He was editor and general manager of the Shawnee
News-Star from 1945 until his death on Aug. 6, 1963.
A few months after his death, his widow, the late
Ruth Musselman, asked the OPA to administer a Norman
Beachy Musselman Memorial Fund.
The memorial contribution proved to be the catalyst
needed to establish the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation
(ONF).
The first contribution to the foundation
was the Norman Beachy Musselman Memorial
Fund. ONF was established to serve as a trust for
donations of money, securities or other property.
Musselman was a consistent winner of editorial
writing awards and his columns, “Beachnuts and Newsbeams,” also won many awards.
He was a founding member of the American Legion,
joining other veterans to form the new organization after
serving as a signal corps aviator in World War I.
Musselman served as president of the Oklahoma Press
Association in 1961, which coincided with construction
of the OPA office building at 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd. in
Oklahoma City.
23
ONF presents Musselman Award
to Duncan publisher Ed Darling
Ed Darling, publisher of The
Duncan Banner, was presented
the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation’s Beachy Musselman Award
at the OPA Convention.
The award was presented June
14 at the Reed Center in Midwest
City.
Darling has been a full-time
newspaper man for 46 years.
“It’s been a wonderful experience,” said Darling. “Of all the
things I’ve learned, the one I
appreciate most is the opportunity
working in the newspaper industry gives each one of us.
“If you work at a newspaper,
you have the opportunity to make
a difference in your community.
You have a chance to be involved,
to make decisions that impact
everyone.
“It’s the best profession in the
entire world and each of us should
be proud of the opportunities we
have to make our communities
that much better.”
Darling was 12 years old when
he got his first byline as a sports
correspondent for The Tuscaloosa
News in Alabama. He became a
sports writer for The News in
1967 and has served 36 years as
publisher of eight daily newspapers in Oklahoma, Alabama and
Mississippi.
Darling returned to Oklahoma
in 2011 to serve as publisher of
The Duncan Banner where he had
previously served as executive
editor and general manager for
nearly 10 years.
He has converted weekly newspapers to daily distribution, created innovative revenue streams,
and launched award-winning community magazines and seasonal
products.
Ed Darling, publisher of The Duncan Banner, receives the annual ONF Beachy
Musselman Award from ONF President Steve Booher, publisher of the Cherokee
Messenger & Republican. The award was presented on June 14 at the OPA
Convention in Midwest City.
He was named Outstanding
Alumnus in Journalism by the University of Alabama, his alma mater,
and has served as president of the
Associated Press-Oklahoma News
Executives (ONE), chairman of
the Alabama Press Association
Journalism Foundation and president of the Alabama Associated
Press Managing Editors.
Darling received the Distinguished Citizen Award from the
Duncan Chamber of Commerce,
the Outstanding Citizen Award
from the Duncan Jaycees and the
Distinguished Service Award, also
from the Jaycees.
He also is a member of the
charter class of Leadership Oklahoma and was a member of Leadership Alabama.
Darling has been president of
three chambers of commerce,
two United Way boards and
CONVENTION COVERAGE
chairman of an economic development authority. He was a founding
member of Main Street Duncan
and chairman of the Stephens
County U.S. Olympic Festival
Torch Run.
Darling was the driving force
in the creation, design, funding
and construction of Duncan’s
104,000-square-foot L.B. and Ola
Simmons Community Activities
Center.
He is married to the former
Julie Moss of Natchez, Miss.
Their ten-year-old son, Grant, is a
fourth grader.
His son, Scott, and his wife,
McKaye, have two children and
live in Alexandria, Va. Son Chris
and his wife, Shelly, live in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
24
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
OPA inducts new members into Half Century
and Quarter Century Clubs at Annual Convention
three years. In more recent years, he’s
worked as a stringer for various publications, including the Friday Gazette in
McLoud and EastWord News in Midwest City. Martin now writes for the
Choctaw Times.
BARB WALTER
New members were inducted into the OPA Half Century Club and Quarter Century Club on June 14, 2013, at the OPA Convention in
Midwest City. Seated are this year’s Half Century Club inductees – Bill and Barb Walter, The Hennessey Clipper; and John B. Martin,
Choctaw Times. Quarter Century Club inductees at the convention were M. Scott Carter, The Journal Record; Susie Harjo-Clifft, The
Seminole Producer; Mark Rogers, Miami News-Record; and Elaine Welch, The Edmond Sun.
The Oklahoma Press Association
established the Half Century Club in
1956 to honor newspaper men and
women who have dedicated 50 or more
years of professional service to the
newspaper industry.
Three members were inducted into
the prestigious club this year – John
B. Martin, Bill Walter and Barb Walter.
Following is information about each
inductee:
JOHN B. MARTIN
John B. Martin learned to multi task
early on in his Oklahoma journalism
career. He was born in Holdenville in
1936, and graduated from Holdenville
High School in 1953. Martin earned a
bachelor’s degree from East Central
University in Ada in 1957, and later a
master’s and doctorate in education
from the University of Oklahoma.
His newspaper experience began
with a column in the Holdenville Daily
News while he was in high school.
Martin also was yearbook editor at East
Central University while working as a
stringer for the Ada News.
He taught and coached students at
schools in Oklahoma City, Midwest
City, Choctaw, Moore and Harrah for
more than 56 years.
He was state president of OVA’s
special-needs division in 1984 and was
inducted into the Oklahoma Track
Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986. He currently teaches the gifted and talented
program in McLoud schools.
From 1965-98, Martin held many
journalism jobs. After college, he was a
high school sports coordinator for the
Oklahoma Journal, then moved from
stringer to sports editor to managing
editor at the Midwest City Sun. Starting
in 1995, he edited The Harrah News for
Classen High School’s newspaper
gave Barb Walter her journalism debut
at age 13. At 14, she became a correspondent for the Oklahoma City Times.
Walter, 68, became managing editor
of The Hennessey Clipper in 1978. She
was later named co-publisher by her
husband, Bill. The Clipper has been in
the Walter family for 109 years. At the
Clipper, Barb covers the county commissioners, school and town boards,
does the layout and the bookkeeping.
She and the newspaper have won
many awards. The state election board
named The Clipper the outstanding
weekly newspaper for informing voters, and the newspaper has won the
Sequoyah, the highest award in OPA’s
Better Newspaper Contest, several
times.
Walter has been in OPA leadership
for years, including being president in
2003. She has chaired and served on
many OPA committees, and is a past
president of the Oklahoma Newspaper
Foundation. She was on the OPA board
for seven years and was treasurer one
year. In 2005, Walter was awarded
ONF’s Beachy Musselman Award for
her outstanding contributions to newspaper journalism. She was inducted
into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of
Fame in 2008 and won the Kingfisher
County Bar Association’s Liberty Bell
award in 2009.
Walter writes a column, “Couldn’t
Help But Notice,” which won honors
from the National Newspaper Association, the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation
Continued on page 25
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
25
Half Century and Quarter Century inductees Continued from Page 24
Inc., the Society of Professional Journalists and OPA. She’s also won awards
for investigative newswriting and photography.
BILL WALTER
In 1945, Bill Walter was a printer’s
devil. He was 10 and already working
at The Hennessey Clipper, which has
been in the Walter family since 1904.
He printed his first newspaper at 15 and
worked in typesetting at many newspapers and print shops, laying out text,
ads and illustrations.
“When I was tall enough, Dad
allowed me to print the newspaper
on a Whitlock Premier flatbed press,”
Walter said.
Walter went to the University of
Oklahoma in 1955 and worked at the
OU Daily typesetting ads. He ran the
Linotype for the Alva Review-Courier
in 1958, then the Oklahoma Baptist
University press. He also shot sports
photos for the Daily and was a WKY-TV
correspondent for two years.
He worked in public relations for the
Cimarron Electric Cooperative in Kingfisher from 1962-67, then for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority for 14 years.
He and his wife, Barb, began helping
at the newspaper after his father died
in 1977. Walter worked at The Clipper
while continuing to work at OTA until
1981, when he started work at The Clipper full time covering sports, the school
board and agriculture.
He has won many awards for editorials, newswriting and photography, and
recently donated his collection of cameras to the Hennessey Public Library.
He covered and photographed sports
until 2012, and is still the advertising manager. Walter is active in many
community organizations and recently
served on the Hennessey 21st Century
Committee.
The Walters have five children and
eight grandchildren.
QUARTER CENTURY CLUB
INDUCTEEES
Four members were inducted into
the OPA Quarter Century Club at the
convention this year. The club was
established in 1998 to honor newspaper
men and women who have dedicated 25
or more years of professional service
to the newspaper industry. Following
is information on this year’s inductees.
M. SCOTT CARTER
M. Scott Carter’s journalism career
began when he was 13 and is still
going, 30 years later. An Oklahoma
native, Carter has worked for newspapers and magazines across the state,
including the Journal Record, Norman Transcript, Stillwater NewsPress,
Blackwell Journal Tribune, Cushing
Daily Citizen and Yale News. In addition to his newspaper work, Carter
has been an Oklahoma Today magazine contributing editor. His stories,
essays and photographs have appeared
in newspapers and magazines across
the country.
Carter was president of the Oklahoma chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists from 2011 to 2013.
In 2011, he published his first young
adult novel, Stealing Kevin’s Heart,
which was a finalist for the Oklahoma
Book Award. The next year, his second
novel, The Immortal Von B., was published, and won the Oklahoma Book
Award.
Carter has received numerous
awards from the Oklahoma SPJ chapter, the Oklahoma Press Association,
the Public Relations Society of America, the National Magazine Publishers
Association and the American Library
Association. He and his wife, Karen,
live in northwest Oklahoma City with
their children.
DARLA CLINE
Gone are the days in the ’80s of flipping through books for the perfect art
and paperwork to submit ad copy, and
email has definitely cut down on windshield time. Rogers is still working with
many of the advertisers he started with
in 1988, including Harvey’s Diamonds,
Osburn Drugs and First National Bank.
When Rogers isn’t selling ads, he’s
busy serving as the promotions director for Miami Main Street, an ambassador for the chamber of commerce and
secretary of Miami Little Theater. He
also likes gardening and keeps busy on
his 13 acres east of Miami.
SUSIE HARJO-CLIFFT
The Edmond Sun got a dedicated
employee when it hired Elaine Welch
in 1988. She began typesetting in real
estate and legal notices. Both her
grandfather and uncle had worked as
typesetters for the Associated Press so
newspapers are in her blood.
In 1989, she moved to graphic
design in the advertising department.
Today Welch is the Edmond Sun’s ad
expeditor. She still works in graphic
design and laying out special sections
and projects.
Welch feels the newspaper has
become her second home, and enjoys
working with her teammates to a common goal. She has two children, Levi
and Andrea, and three grandchildren.
Darla Cline began her newspaper
career as a paste-up typesetter with
the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise.
When the Examiner-Enterprise sold to
Retherford Publications in 1987, she
stayed on as a typesetter. Today she
works at CPI Neighbor News where
she puts together the Tulsa Business &
Legal News and classifieds for Neighbor News publications.
Cline is a lifelong Oklahoma resident and has been married to Chuck
Cline for 33 years. The Clines have a
daughter, Kathy, and two grandchildren, Kiley and Caitlyn.
Susie Harjo-Clifft has worked in
newspapers since graduating from
Holdenville High School in 1968. She
started as a typesetter at the Holdenville Daily News and spent six years
there before working in paste-up and
typesetting at The Idahoan in Moscow,
Idaho.
Harjo-Clifft came back to Oklahoma in 1984 and returned briefly to
Holdenville’s staff. She also worked in
ad design at Wewoka for three years.
She’s spent the last 13 years in the
shared production department for the
Seminole Producer, Wewoka Times
and Konawa Leader.
ELAINE WELCH
MARK ROGERS
In 1988, Mark Rogers helped create ad layout for the car dealership
where he worked. The layouts were
so detailed and artistic that his Miami
News-Record ad rep kept him in mind
for an advertising job at the paper.
When an opening became available,
then-publisher Donald Coppedge
offered him an ad sales position. He’s
still creating nearly camera-ready ads
25 years later.
Rogers says he has stayed in the
business because he enjoys interacting
with his customers and the challenge
of helping them market their business.
CONVENTION COVERAGE
Anyone may make nominations for the Quarter
or Half Century Clubs. Self-nominations also
are acceptable. New members are inducted
during OPA’s Annual Convention. To apply for
induction in either club, review the criteria at
www.okpress.com/century-clubs.
26
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
Avoid employment claims with proper training
At their core, newspapers are just
like any other business. They provide
a service to consumers and are paid
for that service. But just like any other
business, managing employees can be
key to a happy and successful workplace.
Chris S. Thrutchley, an attorney
with the law firm Doerner, Saunders,
Daniel & Anderson, LLP, spoke at the
2013 OPA Annual Convention in Midwest City on June 13, 2013, about the
importance of effectively managing
your employees when it comes to matters of employee discipline, workplace
disputes and termination.
“Most employment disputes that
employers get hit with spring up out
of the seed bed of conflict revolving
around how to manage employee performance and behavior in a way that
drives success and minimizes risk of
employment claims,” said Thrutchley.
Since the recession of 2008, there
has been an explosion in employment
claims. On average, according to the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, the average cost of one
claim is $235,000.
While this figure takes into account
class action lawsuits, something that
most small Oklahoma papers have a
small chance of ever facing, a garden
variety claim can cost your paper anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000.
“Once you’re hit with a claim, it’s
just a matter of how much it’s going to
cost you,” said Thrutchley. “The best
practice is to do all you can to avoid
claims.”
The easiest way for employers to
avoid any sort of employment claims
is proper training for anyone in a
supervisory capacity in your business,
according to Thrutchley.
Proper training not only helps
you avoid the potential minefield of
employment claims, it can also save
you time, money and energy when
dealing with the fallout.
“Even if you settle a claim with the
EEOC, they require you to enter into a
consent decree that mandates management training for all leaders in your
organization,” said Thrutchley. “Not
only that, they require you to do that
for successive years.”
Many areas of employment law are
also opening the door for personal
liability claims against individual managers and supervisors.
To help avoid any sort of wrongful
termination or discrimination claim,
Thrutchley laid out his Five C’s of
effective Discipline.
1. Clearly communicate your expectations. Are your expectations crystal
clear to your employee from day one?
When it comes to matters of discipline,
if you’re not clear with your employees
from the beginning, it can appear as
unfair treatment from the viewpoint of
a judge, jury or arbitrator.
2. Consistently follow policies and
apply work standards. No employee
should be treated differently in matters of discipline. If you handle matters
consistently across the board, you can
easily avoid the risk of a claim.
3. Carefully and strategically
document expectations, disciplinary
actions, performance deficiencies,
policy violations, warnings, etc. “If you
don’t document it, it didn’t happen,”
said Thrutchley.
4. Coordinate with senior management, HR or legal counsel. While your
newspaper might not have a large
managerial structure, make sure those
in charge are all aware and supportive
of your decision to terminate or discipline. This not only shows a thoughtful
and objective decision making process
by consulting others in your company,
it also minimizes the risk of someone
TOP TERMINATION
RED FLAGS
• Deviating from policy, procedure, or
a past practice without evidence of
a legitimate job or business reason
• Inadequate documentation
• Ignoring personnel and/or
manager’s file
• Failing to discipline others involved
• Employee is in a “protected class”
• Employee recently blew the whistle
• Employee recently complained of
harassment, discrimination, wages
or OT
• Employee recently participated
in an investigation or agency
proceeding
CHRIS S. THRUTCHLEY
• Employee recently took military
leave
bringing forth a discrimination or
retaliation claim.
5. Calculate cost/benefits of the
decision to discipline or terminate.
“Sometimes we have situations where
even though we know there are risks,
the cost of keeping somebody is greater than the benefit of cutting them
loose and moving on down the road,”
said Thrutchley.
“If you apply those five principles to
any performance and behavior issue
you’re dealing with it will go a long
way toward helping you manage risk
in a way that minimizes claims,” said
Thrutchley.
• Employee engaged in concerted
activity (e.g., urged support of a
union; complained about wages,
hours, conditions)
• Manager recommending discharge
is perceived as biased or prejudiced
• Co-workers would consider the
termination unfair or inequitable
• Not giving the real reason for the
discharge
• The real reasons are illegal
• Failing to conduct “final filter” review
of the recommendation to terminate
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
27
Members of Oklahoma congressional delegation
discuss issues at Oklahoma Press convention
Meeting members of the press at the Oklahoma Press Association Convention on June 15, 2013, at the Reed Center in Midwest City
are Senator Tom Coburn, and Representatives James Lankford, Frank Lucas and Tom Cole.
Four members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation were on hand for
a question and answer session at the
2013 OPA Annual Convention.
Congressmen Tom Cole, James
Lankford and Frank Lucas were in
attendance from the House of Representatives and were joined by Senator
Tom Coburn.
The senator and congressmen each
gave some brief opening remarks
before taking questions from OPA
members.
Sen. Coburn expressed his concerns with both parties’ lack of action
on real issues.
“I think the biggest problem we
have in Washington is a lack of leadership, both in the Republican and
Democrat parties,” said Coburn.
“If you think about the problems
that are in front of our country –
unsustainable Medicare, unsustainable
Social Security, and tremendous debt
and a tax system that costs us $300
billion a year…yet the leadership in
the Senate and House has refused to
address the very real problems that
are in front of our country.”
District 3 Representative Frank
Lucas outlined his work on the House
Agricultural Committee and certain
developments in the new Farm Bill,
such as changes to federal nutrition
and food stamp programs.
District 4 Representative Tom Cole,
who arrived late to the session due to
flight problems, expressed his concern
about the ability of the federal government to strike a deal to address concerns about Medicare, Medicaid and
Social Security.
District 5 Representative James
Lankford spoke to the numerous
scandals rocking Washington at the
moment, from Benghazi to recent
revelations about the National Security
Agency (NSA).
When questioned by the audience
about tax reform, the congressmen
and senator were all in agreement that
action is needed, either in the form of
a flat tax or national sales tax.
Either option would “eliminate
90,000 IRS positions, and save money
elsewhere,” said Coburn. “It would
also help establish lost confidence in
the government.”
Coburn also expressed his desire to
end the mortgage interest deduction,
as it predominantly helps only upper
income individuals and does little to
increase home ownership rates.
“Many places around the world
have higher home ownership rates
(than the U.S.) with no deductions for
mortgages,” said Coburn.
When asked about his work on the
farm bill, Rep. Lucas expressed hope
CONVENTION COVERAGE
that it will make it out of the House in
good order and be passed in time to
have an effect for farmers.
“I believe at the conclusion of the
day we’ll achieve a consensus in an
open process,” said Lucas. “The bottom line is this, I want to either have
a farm bill or be able to let my wheat
farmers know what it’s going to be like
on the first of September when they
are about to sow, and that rarely happens.”
Rep. Lankford also defended the
changes to the federal Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
in the farm bill. The current version of
the bill creates new requirements such
as proof of citizenship, stricter income
qualifications, stricter limits on what
can be purchased and work requirements for able-bodied individuals.
Sen. Coburn, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, defended
recent revelations about the National
Security Agency’s data-monitoring
capabilities.
“This is one program that is oversighted (sic) more than any other program, looked at more than any other
program and, I trust, more than any
other program in the whole federal
government,” Coburn said.
There was a consistent message
that the delegation on hand seemed
to agree on – that America was at an
impasse with dire problems waiting if
the government does not enact sweeping change.
“What we lack is the leadership
traits and moral character to do it,”
said Coburn.
28
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
In Memoriam
June 2012 to May 2013
Commemorated June 13, 2013
at the Oklahoma Press Association Annual Convention
Midwest City, OK
The Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation offers an appropriate tax-exempt memorial as a tribute to the memory of Oklahoma newspapermen and women. All contributions in memory of an individual are acknowledged and notification is given
to the family.
The purpose of the Foundation is to advance newspapers, and to provide for
journalism education, study and research. As funds are accumulated, the trustees
use the earnings to finance activities in these areas.
BRIAN BARBER, Tulsa World city hall
reporter, died Jan. 9, 2013. He was 39.
Barber had struggled with heart failure
and complications caused by anti-rejection drugs related to two heart transplants. His first heart transplant was in
2000 and the second in 2005. Barber
joined the Tulsa World as a night police
reporter in December 1996. He later
worked as a general assignment reporter before moving to the City Hall beat
in 2004. Before joining the World, Barber worked as a state reporter at the
Des Moines Register/Waterloo-Cedar
Falls Courier. He was the recipient of
many journalism awards.
LEE BELL, former managing editor at
the Stillwater NewsPress, died Oct.
20, 2012. He was 80. Bell was editor
for the Muskogee Phoenix and Times
from 1955 to 1962. He then moved
to Stillwater to join the NewsPress
where he served first as managing editor and later as the special editor. He
retired in 1995. Bell was a
graduate
of
Oklahoma
A&M
College, and served in the Army from
1956 to 1958.
LAWRENCE FITZHUGH ‘CHUB’
BELLATTI, former publisher of the Still-
water NewsPress, died Oct. 3, 2012.
He was 98. Bellatti served the com-
munity of Stillwater in many capacities
over the past 72 years, and promoted
the public good as a newspaper publisher and as a radio broadcaster. While
attending the University of Oklahoma, Bellatti worked at The Norman
Transcript and as an oilfield roughneck while completing two years of
law school. After serving in the Navy
during World War II, Bellatti returned
to Stillwater in 1946 to join his father
and brothers in the newspaper and
broadcast businesses. He became a
member of the Oklahoma Press
Association in 1940, and was elected
the first president of the Oklahoma
Broadcasters Association in 1948. He
remained active in both organizations
until the sale of the Stillwater NewsPress and the radio stations in 1997.
Bellatti was inducted into the Stillwater Hall of Fame in 1990, along with
his father, who was inducted posthumously.
ROBBIE NELL (BEERS) BOMAN,
former associate editor and editor-in-chief
for the Bixby Bulletin, died March
26, 2013. She was 88. Boman grew up
around Healdton and graduated from
Wolfe High School in 1940. The Bomans
moved to Bixby in 1965 and in 1972,
with no newspaper experience, Mrs.
Boman joined the Bixby Bulletin as
an assistant editor. She was named
to succeed editor Jim Downing after
his death and had a long-running column “I’m Thinking, I’m Thinking.” She
retired from the paper in 1990.
CHERYL ANNE FERGUSON BRYANT,
general manager of The Pawnee Chief,
died March 5, 2013. She was 68. Bryant grew up in the newspaper business. Her father, D. Jo Ferguson, was
publisher of The Pawnee Chief. Cheryl
began her newspaper career in 1968 as
a photo engraver and darkroom tech
for the Muskogee Phoenix. She later
became a staff photographer at the
Phoenix. Bryant returned to Pawnee in
1985 where she went to work as office
manager of The Pawnee Chief. She also
attended Oklahoma State University.
SANDY CASE, longtime production
manager at Oklahoma City Friday, died
Dec. 30, 2012, after a 13-month battle
with cancer. She was 61. Case worked
at Friday for 35 years.
LLOYD THOMAS CLAWSON, a former
pressman for a newspaper in Holdenville, Okla., died July 24, 2012. He was
97. For several years Clawson worked
for the newspaper in Holdenville in the
printing operation. He and his wife,
Sue, later moved to Oklahoma City
where they both worked at The Daily
Oklahoman.
PHILLIP THOMAS COWAN, former
owner and publisher of the Bethany
Tribune-Review, died June 28, 2012. He
was 84. Cowan was the owner and publisher of the Bethany Tribune-Review
from 1957-1989. He was active in the
community, having served three terms
as president of the Bethany Chamber
of Commerce. He also was a charter
member of the Bethany Museum and
Historical Society, and received the
Most Useful Citizen Award from the
Bethany Chamber in 1980.
ANN DEFRANGE, a former columnist
and journalist at The Oklahoman, died
June 10, 2012, in Oklahoma City. She
was 69. DeFrange went to work for
the Oklahoma City Times and The
Daily Oklahoman after graduating
from Central State University in 1969
with a minor in journalism. She was
known throughout the state for the
thousands of stories she wrote during
her 39-year career at The Oklahoman.
She retired from The Oklahoman in
2008 after spending her entire career
there. DeFrange was inducted into the
Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame
that same year.
DEANNA KAY FOSTER, a carrier for the
Enid News & Eagle, was killed July 25,
2012, while delivering newspapers. She
was 50. Foster had been an independent contract carrier for the News &
Eagle since February 2008. She delivered about 300 newspapers early each
morning to subscribers in rural areas
north and northeast of Enid.
ROBERT ‘BOB’ EARL FORREST, a long-
time Ada News sports reporter, died
Oct. 8, 2012. He was 59. Forrest spent
years in the newspaper business in
Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. He
covered horse racing for the Tulsa
World for more than 15 years. He had
been a freelance sports reporter for
the Ada News since 2004. He worked
in several horse-training arenas before
devoting his time to the newspaper
industry.
L. KENT FRISKUP,
former publisher
of The Meeker News, died Sept. 5,
2012. He was 71. Friskup bought The
Meeker News in 1990 and owned it for
10 years. He also served one term in
the Oklahoma House of Representatives, from 2001 to 2002. A long-time
resident of Meeker, Friskup was the
previous owner of the Meeker Livestock Auction. At the time of his death,
he was a self-employed grant consultant, auctioneer and in real estate sales.
OMER GILLHAM, a former reporter for
the Tulsa World, died July 9, 2012, in
Tulsa. He was 53. Gillham’s reputation for
tenacity was revered in the Tulsa World
newsroom, where he worked for 14
years. He left the World in March
2012 to work on a book about his
family history and growing up with
alcoholism in the household. During
his 14 years at the World, Gillham
worked several news beats but disContinued on Page 29
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
In Memoriam
Continued from Page 28
tinguished himself as an investigative
reporter. He won numerous awards for
his work, including first place in the
2010 Great Plains Journalism Awards
and a 2009 award from the Mental
Health Association in Tulsa. Before
joining the World, Gillham worked at
the Ada Evening News, The Ardmoreite and The Norman Transcript.
VIVIAN GOODWIN, wife of Oklahoma
Eagle publisher James Goodwin, died
Sept. 18, 2012. She was 72. Goodwin attended St. Mary’s College in
South Bend, Ind. In 1961, she married
James Goodwin. Mrs. Goodwin often
assisted at The Eagle where she wrote
stories, took photos and helped out
wherever she was needed.
KAREN LEE GREEN, longtime news
and feature writer and editor for The
Shawnee News-Star, died Dec. 25, 2012,
in Shawnee. She was 63. Green graduated from Shawnee High School and
earned a degree in journalism from
the University of Oklahoma in 1983. As
lifestyles editor at the News-Star, Green
told stories about the community. In the
news editing position, Green designed
numerous award-winning pages. She
received many awards for writing and
design from the Associated Press/
Oklahoma News Editors Association
and the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists.
BARBARA GROTHE,
a former reporter and ad rep for the Bristow News,
died Dec. 29, 2012. She was 87.
Grothe earned a bachelor’s degree
in journalism from Kansas State
University. She met and married
her
husband,
Gerald
Herbert Grothe, while attending KSU.
Mrs. Grothe worked in various capacities in the journalism field, including
her time at the Bristow News.
GARY HICKS, publisher of The Lone
Grove Ledger, died March 23, 2013.
He was 68. Hicks earned his Bachelor of Business from North Texas
State University in Denton, and did
master’s work in journalism at the University of Oklahoma. A Vietnam veteran, Hicks served in the Intelligence
Division in Saigon. On Dec. 28, 1974,
he married his wife of 38 years, Linda
Sue Bachelor. The couple moved from
Norman to Marietta in 1976 to open the
first of three pizzerias. On March 16,
1980, the Hicks moved to Lone Grove
and on Jan. 5, 1983, established and
published their first edition of The Lone
Grove Ledger. In 1985, they added
Quality Printing and Graphic Design to
their publishing company.
VICKIE HOGAN, publisher of the
Garber-Billings News, died Dec. 25,
2012. She was 61. Hogan was the
owner/operator of the Garber-Billings
News for more than 20 years. She
enjoyed supporting the local schools,
kids and her community but most of
all she enjoyed spending time with her
children, grandchildren, family and
friends. Her declining health had
forced her to make a tough decision to
close the newspaper, which she wrote
about in a column that was published
after her death. The newspaper was
sold after her death and remains in
operation today.
GEOFFREY HOLLADAY,
a longtime
Oklahoma journalist and outdoor
writer, died Aug. 21, 2012. He was
73. Holladay attended the University of Texas at El Paso. He covered
forestry and natural resources for the
state department of agriculture and
later was a writer for the McAlester
News-Capital. Holladay worked at the
McCurtain Daily Gazette and GazetteNews for 14 years. Holladay and the
late J.D. Cash collaborated on a series
of articles when they covered the
Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. He
won numerous awards for his writing
throughout his career.
ROYCE CLIFTON HUNTER, a
longtime
typesetter at the Tulsa World, died May
4, 2013. He was 94. Hunter served in
the Army Air Corps in World War II.
He settled in Tulsa after the war and
in 1959 started a job with Newspaper
Printing Corp., the joint printing opera-
tion of the Tulsa World and Tulsa Tribune. He spent his entire 30-year career
in the composing room, manually placing type on pages of the World and
Tribune before they went to print. He
retired from the paper in the late 1980s
as the newspaper world began to move
towards computerized desktop publishing.
MARK HUTCHISON, former city editor at The Oklahoman, died June 6,
2012. He was 49. Hutchison was paralyzed from the chest down in 2007
after a fishing accident. He grew up in
Enid and received a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from the
University of Kansas in Lawrence in
1986. He then went to work at the
Enid News & Eagle before joining The
Oklahoman in 1989. At The Oklahoman, he served as staff writer, chief
of the Lawton bureau, assistant state
editor, metro editor and city
editor.
After
his
accident,
Hutchison returned to The Oklahoman
as digital news editor and watchdog
editor before health problems forced
him to accept disability retirement.
JEROME A. ‘JERRY’ LAIZURE,
an
award-winning news and sports photojournalist and senior staff photographer for The Norman Transcript,
died Dec. 3, 2012. He was 59. Laizure
grew up in Bartlesville and began working for the local newspaper at age 14.
He later worked for newspapers in
Pawhuska, Norman, Oklahoma City
and Noble. His sports photography was
widely published and won numerous
awards. Laizure was co-founder and
co-publisher of the Cleveland County
Record, a weekly newspaper in Noble.
The Norman Transcript purchased the
Record in 1989 and retained Laizure
as the newspaper’s editor. Laizure was
The Transcript’s senior photographer
at the time of his death. His photos
have been honored with awards from
the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists and Oklahoma Press
Association.
MELBA HUDSON LIVERMORE,
who
at one time owned several Oklahoma newspapers with her hus-
CONVENTION COVERAGE
29
band Edward K. Livermore, died
Jan. 17, 2013, in Tulsa. She was 93.
The Livermores lived in Claremore
where they published the Claremore
Daily Progress before acquiring the
Sapulpa Daily Herald and moving to
Sapulpa in 1959. Mrs. Livermore was
active in the management of both
newspapers. The Livermores also had
interests in other newspaper holdings
including the Edmond Evening Sun,
Guthrie News Leader, Pauls Valley Daily
Democrat and Catoosa Times as well as
the Mineral Wells Index in Texas, and
the Clarksville Times in Arkansas.
DON MANLEY, retired circulation man-
ager for the Tulsa World, died May 12,
2013. He was 85. After serving in the
U.S. Army during World War II, Manley
returned to Tulsa and joined the Tulsa
World in 1954. The one-time paper
carrier for the World went on to become
a zone manager in state circulation. He
retired from the World at age 72, after
43 years with the company.
DAVID RICHARD MILLION, former editor of The Hominy News-Progress, died
March 24, 2013. He was 64. Million
graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in journalism in
1971. He began his journalism career in
Marshall,
Texas,
before
taking the editor position at The
Hominy
News-Progress.
Million left journalism to be a
recruiter for Rogers State College
before writing for several Tulsa area
magazines. He took a position with the
Tulsa World in 1998 and worked at the
paper until 2008.
ROBERT EUGENE MURRAY,
former
Sunday editor at The Daily Oklahoman, died Jan. 17, 2013. He was 85. He
attended the University of Missouri
School of Journalism and graduated
in 1953. Murray began his newspaper
career as a reporter at the Kansas City
Continued on Page 30
30
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
AWARDS
& HONORS
Several other awards were presented at the June 13-15 OPA Convention at the Reed Center in Midwest City.
Those awards included:
ONF JOSEPH H. EDWARDS
OUTDOOR WRITER OF THE YEAR
This award,
named for the late
Joe Edwards who
was publisher of
the Bartlesville
Examiner-Enterprise, honors a
writer’s passion for
the outdoors. For
the third consecu- KELLY BOSTIAN
tive year, the award
was presented
to Kelly Bostian from the Tulsa
World.
PRINT QUALITY CONTEST
Established in 2008, the OPA
Print Quality Contest rewards good
presswork. The winner in the daily
division was The Journal Record
in Oklahoma City. In the weekly
division, the winner was Suburban
Graphics.
WEBSITE CONTEST AWARDS
This award honors newspapers
that produce outstanding online
content.
In the daily division, The Journal Record took first place. The
Ardmoreite placed second, The
Norman Transcript third and
Tahlequah Daily Press fourth.
The Bigheart Times in Barnsdall received first place in the
weekly division. The Oologah Lake
Leader placed second, The Grove
Sun third and Coweta American
fourth.
Congratulations to these and all
other award winners who received
recognition at the convention.
In Memoriam
Continued from Page 29
Star where he worked his way up to
Sunday editor. He later moved to The
Oklahoman and retired as Sunday editor in 1989.
SHIRLEY NICHOLS,
who once served
as society editor at The Seminole Producer, died Feb. 22, 2013. She was 78.
Nichols worked her way up from writing book reviews and obituaries at the
Producer to serving as the newspaper’s
society editor.
She also was a freelance writer. Nichols
later worked for the Seminole Police
Department and held certifications in
fingerprinting and dispatching. She
retired from the police department in
1977.
BEATRICE ‘BEA’ PERRY, former owner
and manager of the Wagoner Tribune,
died March 20, 2013, in Muskogee.
Perry and her first husband, Frank
Spence, owned and managed the Wagoner Tribune and Record Democrat.
She was the founder and owner of Travel Tours, a travel company she built
from the ground up. She and her husband Don Perry, who she married in
1984, worked together in the business
and traveled after their retirement.
JAMES CLAUDE ‘RES’ RESNEDER, who
was publisher of the Washita County
Enterprise in Corn for many years, died
Oct. 29, 2012. He was 63. Resneder
bought the Enterprise in 1980. He also
started his own photography business
in Corn, specializing in wedding photos. He served the Town of Corn for
over 20 years as a volunteer fireman
and later became the town clerk.
PHILIP EDWIN STOUT, an Oklahoma
journalist, died Aug. 26, 2012. He was
71. Stout received a degree in marketing from Oklahoma State University in 1963. His journalism career
began on the Alumni Magazine at OSU and as head of
market research at the Oklahoma Publishing Company. In addition to newspaper positions with the Dallas Times
Herald and The Advocate in Baton
Rouge, La., Stout served as sales and
marketing director for the Tulsa World
from 1992 to 1994. He later started a
newspaper consulting firm with a partner before retiring in 2010.
FRED GORDON TURNER, longtime publisher of the McAlester News-Capital &
Democrat, died June 15, 2012. He was
79. Turner, who was born on July 29,
1932, succeeded his father and grandfather at the helm of the McAlester
newspaper until his retirement in 1982.
He was part owner, publisher and editor for the McAlester News-Capital &
Democrat from 1958 to 1982. He was
also editor of the Pittsburg County
News and Southeast Oklahoma News
and wrote for the Eufaula Indian Journal, the McIntosh County Democrat
and the Lake Eufaula World from 1999
to 2000.
JESSE RAY TURNER, who worked for
The Altus Times for more than 50
years, died July 10, 2012, at his Norman home. He was 82. Turner began
his newspaper career for The Altus
Times-Democrat as a paperboy on Dec.
7, 1941. Over the next 50 years, he
held several positions at the newspaper
including press operator and production manager. He retired in 1995 as
advertising sales director.
Ann Kelley Weaver, a longtime Oklahoma journalist and reporter at The Oklahoman, died Nov. 28, 2012. She was 41.
A graduate of Fresno State University
and East Central University, Weaver
worked as a social worker and legal
assistant before beginning her career
in journalism. She was a reporter at the
Ada Evening News and The Shawnee
News-Star before she began her career
at The Oklahoman in 2002. Throughout her journalism career Weaver won
numerous awards for breaking news,
investigative and government reporting.
STACY JO WEHRENBERG,
business
manager for Student Media at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, died
Sept. 26, 2012. She was 52. She attended the University of Oklahoma where
she received a Bachelor of Human
Relations degree in December 1984. In
1986, Stacy was employed by the University Student Media Department as
administrative assistant and business
office manager. She was recognized for
25 years of service to the university in
2011.
John Fenton Wheeler, a former Associated Press foreign correspondent and
editor at the Tulsa World, died April
21, 2013. He was 88. Wheeler was born
on April 10, 1925, in Salina, Kan. He
was a 1949 graduate of the University
of Kansas journalism school. He began
his newspaper career as a copy editor
for the Topeka Daily Capital and then
worked as a news editor for the Corpus
Christi Caller-Times in Texas. He joined
the AP in 1964 in Columbus, Ohio, and
was sent to Havana in 1967 after transferring to the AP’s foreign desk in New
York. In 1969, he was the final U.S.
reporter expelled from Cuba. He then
became AP’s bureau chief in Madrid,
covering Spain and Portugal, and
later was bureau chief in Lima, Peru.
After retiring from the AP in
1985, Wheeler worked as a
senior
editor
for
the
Tulsa
World until 1991. He retired to
Columbia, Mo., in 1994.
GENEVA B. WILEY, former owner
and publisher of The Grove Sun, died
Aug. 13, 2012. She was 95. Wiley
moved to Grove with her husband,
Don, after he purchased The Sun. Don
reported and wrote while Geneva handled the bookkeeping and other tasks.
The couple sold the newspaper in 1969.
MYRA JANE WOODRUFF WORLEY,
wife of Tulsa World executive editor Joe
Worley, died March 7, 2013. She was
67. Myra and Joe met in a newsroom in
Johnson City, Tenn., where both were
working as reporters. After marrying,
they moved on to other papers, with
Myra transitioning into classified ad
sales. The couple moved to Tulsa in
1987 when Joe was hired by the World.
With her newspaper days behind her,
Myra spent time volunteering at and
supporting several organizations.
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
31
Thank you to the sponsors
of the 2013 OPA Convention
Thank you for your assistance in making the Oklahoma Press
Association Convention successful and for showing your
continued support and commitment to Oklahoma newspapers.
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32
The Oklahoma Publisher // June 2013
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2012 SWEEPSTAKES WINNERS
Column:
Editorial:
STEVEN
JAMES
South County Leader
EXCERPTS FROM 2012 COLUMN SWEEPSTAKES WINNER
STEVEN JAMES, SOUTH COUNTY LEADER
H Unit echoes linger after execution
The pounding started sometime
around 5:40 p.m. Random and disorganized at first, but it quickly
found its rhythm. BAM-BAM-clank.
BAM-BAM-clank.
You could hear it through the
concrete of the Oklahoma State
Penitentiary’s H Unit.
I was one of seven media witnesses and two Department of
Corrections employees waiting in
the Law Library, a small, cramped
room ringed on three sides by
bookshelves and on the other by
three empty standing-room-only
cells, with a couple of desks in the
center.
We’d been told to expect the
sound by Terry Crenshaw, the warden’s assistant. The volume is often
a measure of other inmates’ respect
for condemned prisoners as they
are led to the Execution Room, he
said. For some, the sound is loud
and resounding. For others, it can
barely be heard.
EXCERPTS FROM 2012 EDITORIAL SWEEPSTAKES WINNER
DAVID BURGESS, VINITA DAILY JOURNAL
It’s time to make county elections nonpartisan
Imagine this scenario: You live
in rural Craig County. You arrive
home one night to find that your
house has been burglarized. You
call the Craig County Sheriff’s
Department. And the first question is, “Are you a Democrat or a
Republican?”
Of course, that question would
never be asked.
But asking it would be no more
ridiculous than the current system
of electing county officials.
Craig County voters – Republican voters, anyway – got their latest
taste of the flawed system three
weeks ago, as did voters for county
offices throughout the state.
There are 2,200 registered
Republicans in Craig County, and
none was able to vote in the primary.
DAVID
BURGESS
Vinita Daily Journal
They never see the condemned
led away from their cells, but they
always know, Crenshaw said.
Apparently fellow inmates
thought quite highly of Shaun
Stemple, likely the first Jenks resident ever executed by the state of
Oklahoma. The BAM-BAM-clank
was pretty loud, almost more felt
than heard.
I didn’t know Stemple from
Adam, nor did I know his wife,
Trisha, whose lifeless body was
found alongside Hwy 75 just north
of Jenks that October morning in
1996. She had been beaten mercilessly with a baseball bat and run
over, the scene staged to look like a
hit-and-run accident…
There are 682 registered Independents in Craig County, and none
was able to vote in the primary.
That’s because all six candidates
running for office were Democrats,
even though the offices they were
running for – sheriff, county clerk
and county commissioner – administer their services in a non-partisan way.
Craig County Dist. 2 County
Commissioner Hugh Gordon
should be commended for pointing
out, as he did in the weeks leading
up to the primary, that the system
used to elect county officers needs
to be changed.
It’s been tried before.
The 2012 Sweepstakes Contest
was judged by Terry M. Clark, who is
the director and a member of the
Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.
CORRECTION: The March 2013 column
winner was Linda Craun from The Hennessey
Clipper. Last month’s issue of The Oklahoma
Publisher incorrectly listed Barb Walter as
the column winner. We regret the error.
Enter and Win a
$100 Check from ONG!
1. Each month, send a tear sheet or photocopy
of your best column and/or editorial to ONG
Contest, c/o OPA, 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd.,
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499.
2. Include the author’s name, name of publication,
date of publication and category entered
(column or editorial).
3. Only ONE editorial and/or ONE column per
writer per month will be accepted.
4. All entries for the previous month must be at the
OPA office by the 15th of the current month.
5. Winning entries will be reproduced on the OPA
website at www.OkPress.com.
Entries must have been previously published.
Contest open to
all OPA member newspapers.
Although Oklahoma Natural Gas Company selects
representative contest winners’ work for use in
this monthly ad, the views expressed in winning
columns and editorials are those of the writers and
don’t necessarily reflect the Company’s opinions.
Thank you for continued support of “Share The Warmth”
Read the Winning Columns and Editorials on the OPA website: www.OkPress.com (Under Contests)