THE OKLAHOMAN

'''The Oklahoman''' is the largest daily and statewide newspaper in Oklahoma and is the only daily newspaper that covers the entire Oklahoma City metro area. The ownership of the paper by the Gaylord family helped build a multi-billion dollar fortune. The editorial viewpoint has through the years been labeled as conservative, but the leadership of the paper contends it is non-partisan, and reflects the views of its readers.
Founded in 1889 in Oklahoma City by Sam Small, ''The Daily Oklahoman'' was taken over in 1903 by The Oklahoma Publishing Company (OPUBCO), controlled by E.K. Gaylord. E.K. Gaylord died at 101 years, controlling the newspaper for the previous 71 years. Management of the newspaper passed to his son, Edward L. Gaylord, who managed the newspaper from 1974 to 2003. Christy Gaylord Everest, daughter of Edward L. Gaylord and granddaughter of E.K. Gaylord, is chairman and chief executive for the Oklahoma Publishing Company, which publishes ''The Oklahoman''. Gaylord Everest is assisted by her sister Mary Gaylord Bennett.
Until Feb. 29, 1984, OPUBCO published an afternoon daily newspaper, the ''Oklahoma City Times''. It was folded into the Oklahoman beginning with the March 1, 1984 issue.

Contents

Awards

Criticism

Editorial Staff

External links

References

Awards

Charles George Werner, a rookie political cartoonist at the newspaper, won the 1939 Pulitzer Prize for editorial art. The winning cartoon, ''Nomination for 1938'', depicted the Nobel Peace Prize resting on a grave marked ''Grave of Czecho-Slovakia, 1919-1938''. Published on Oct. 6, 1938, the cartoon bit at the recently concluded Munich Agreement, which transferred the Sudetenland (a strategically important part of Czechoslovakia) to Nazi Germany.

Criticism

The newspaper has instituted several notable changes since
''Columbia Journalism Review'' ran an article in 1999 titled "The Worst Newspaper in America," which blasted the newspaper for allegedly biased reporting, strident editorials and other complaints.
The newspaper acknowledges that some editorials were perhaps unabashedly partisan, supporting big-business and pro-Christian and conservative agendas (including the printing of daily prayers on the front page).
New features at the paper include opposing views of opinions expressed in editorials.
Critics say that its monopoly over local news "has bred both a management and newsroom culture that ridicules critics and rewards mediocrity"^[2].

Editorial Staff

★ Ed Kelley, Editor

★ Sue A. Hale, Executive Editor

★ Mike Shannon, Managing Editor (News and Sports)

★ Joe Hight, Managing Editor (Research, Development, Features)

★ Robby Trammell, Assistant Managing Editor (News)

★ Yvette Walker, Deputy Managing Editor (NewsOK)

★ Bill Waugh, Assistant Managing Editor (Visuals)

★ Mark Hutchinson, City Editor

★ Mac Bentley, State Editor

★ Kathryn McNutt, Metro Editor

★ Clytie Bunyan, Business Editor

★ Mike Sherman, Sports Editor

★ Sonya Colberg, Features Editor

★ David Morris, NewsOK General Manager

★ J.E. McReynolds, Chief Editorial Writer

External links

★ ''The Oklahoman'' official website

References

1. 2007 Top 100 Daily Newspapers in the U.S. by Circulation
2. Columbia Journalism Review. The Worst Newspaper in America, Jan/Feb 1999.