In case you missed it while trying to figure out what to do with the pallet of ice melt in your garage, the state's second largest newspaper, the Tulsa World, was recently purchased by Warren Buffet's Berkshire-Hathaway. That means two of Oklahoma's largest and arguably most influential media outlets are owned by out-of-state interests:
Warren Buffett's BH Media Group is buying the Tulsa World for an undisclosed price.
World Publishing Co. Chairman Robert E. Lorton announced the sale in a meeting with newspaper employees Monday morning.
"This has not been an easy decision, as you can imagine, after more than 100 years for the Lortons, but for our employees - you all - for the Tulsa World and for the Tulsa community, we believe - and have decided - this is the best path to the future," Lorton said.
Robert E. Lorton III, the company's CEO and the newspaper's publisher, will leave the newspaper and will be succeeded as publisher by John R. Bair, previously the company's president and chief operating officer....
Larry King, BH Media Group vice president for news and content, told a gathering of Tulsa World editors that news decisions will continue to be made locally.
“When it comes to news, you're not going to hear from me,” King said. “I just want to assure you that there's no one from Omaha looking down your throats and trying to tell you how to cover Tulsa.”