The Dave Matthews Band fan pictured in the photo above that's apparently the property of The Tulsa World is Michael Overall. A few weeks ago, we told you about the stupid article he wrote titled "Tulsa isn't so jealous of OKC anymore." The column, and our response to it, ignited quite a reaction. My favorite was this email from Tulsa World Chief Photographer Tom Gilbert.
Please remove the image of Michael Overall from your site. It is being used without permission.
Tom GilbertChief PhotographerTulsa World Media Company
At first, I thought that was a fake email. Seriously, what news organization would want to claim ownership of that pic? This was my reply:
Hi Tom!
I actually grabbed the photo from his Twitter profile.
I believe I have fair use rights to use and criticize the photo, which is what I did in the intro paragraph:
The guy pictured above is Tulsa World reporter Michael Overall. When he’s not modeling for credit counseling brochures or bringing his own pool stick into Magoo’s, he apparently likes to troll cities that are superior to Tulsa.
If you want, I can add "like in the image above" after Magoo's to be more clear. I can also add Tulsa World copyright info if you like.
Let me know.- Patrick
Fancy, huh? It kind of sounds like I know what I'm talking about. I think it may have worked. Tom sent this:
Ok I will check on the fair use. But you might read this.
http://mashable.com/2013/11/23/photographer-lawsuit-twitter/
Yep, the Chief Photographer for a major American newspaper is not familiar with fair use. That's good to know. Also, the link he sent me was about how Getty sold and licensed some photographer's Twitter photos without his permission. The photographer sued and got $1.2-million. Totally comparable situation, which is why I replied:
The day I take Tulsa World photos and secretly sell them to Getty Images for profit, licensing and use in other publications, I would encourage you to sue me.
Tom never replied to that. He's still probably checking on fair use.
Anyway, this past Sunday, Tulsa World Editorial Editor Wayne Green decided to chime in the OKC / Tulsa debate. His verdict? Maybe Tulsa should be jealous OKC.
From The Tulsa World:
Oops. That's another Tulsa World pic of Michael Overall that I'm using without the Tulsa World's permission. (Cue fair use in 3... 2... 1...) He looks younger and somehow even dorkier in that pic. He must have walked into Burlington and said "Give me a polo shirt with the largest collar money can buy." I bet he took that pic during "Give Me a Wedgie at Work Day." Seriously, what a dork. He looks like he fell out of a Michael Chabon novel. And for what it's worth, I think he's wearing the same undershirt in both pics.
Before I get sued for $1.2-million, here's some of that column by Wayne Green:
One of my colleagues recently wrote a good column that said Tulsa used to be jealous of Oklahoma City.
Maybe we still should be.
Last week, Oklahoma City passed its municipal budget, which includes expanded bus service, new police officers and higher sales tax projections.
The Oklahoma City budget adds 92 jobs to the municipal payroll, including 40 new police officers, 10 people assigned to vacant buildings, and 10 new park employees, said City Manager Jim Couch.
The city’s bus service is getting additional evening service and more frequent service in selected daytime routes.
Meanwhile, in Tulsa, the city is going through a grinding fiscal re-evaluation process with job and program cuts constantly in the headlines. School crossing guards, night bus service and city arts programs have been on the block as has other spending for a simple, painful reason: The city doesn’t have enough money.
(Cue fair use in 3... 2... 1...)
Finally someone at the Tulsa World knows what they are talking about. Well, other than the eighth word in the article.
Even though he had a lot of nice things to say about OKC, Green did get the following digs in. They seemed kind of forced, but I guess you can't blame him. He's writing for Tulsans. You have to make them feel better about themselves.
We have a better skyline, a better opera, a real river...
We have George Kaiser, Stacy Schusterman and a cadre of visionary business and philanthropic leaders ...
We have QuikTrip, Gilcrease and Riverside Drive...
We have an economy based in entrepreneurship, not government work...
Our look is classier, our children are smarter, and our hearts are purer...
Yeah, whatever makes you feel better, Tulsa. Enjoy your opera, souped-up gas stations and pure hearts. Whatever the hell that means.
Anyway, you can check out the rest of Wayne Green's advertorial for the Oklahoma City Chamber at The Tulsa World's website. I think you get 20 free page views before a copy editor emails you a warning about intellectual copyright laws.
