With both OKC and Tulsa being minor league TV markets, it’s been pretty common over the years to see anchors and reporters moving back and forth between the two towns, but we’ve never seen an entire TV news channel leave one market for the other.
Well, until now.
Yesterday, KTUL Channel 8 – the Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate in Tulsa – conducted mass layoffs and announced they’re going to produce their “hyper-local” Tulsa news broadcast at the KOKH Fox 25 studios in Oklahoma City.
Via The Tulsa World:
Longtime Tulsa television station will be changing how it presents the news.
KTUL, Channel 8, the city’s Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned ABC affiliate, announced Thursday that all news the station airs will soon be produced out of Oklahoma City, although local content from Tulsa-based reporters will still be featured.
“Beginning December 11 we will be making changes to the way we produce news in Tulsa and refocusing our resources, establishing a regional content center to super serve the Tulsa and Oklahoma City television markets,” KTUL said in a statement. “This will allow hyperlocal news and weather content from both markets, as well as regional content, to be included in every newscast.”
Yep, nothing says “hyperlocal” news like producing it in another market located 100 miles away.
“For more details about the Utica Square fire, let’s go live to Burt Mummolo who is live at Casady Square. Burt – tell us what you’re seeing.”
Obviously, the big news here is that it gives Oklahoma City additional bragging rights in the ongoing OKC-Tulsa turnpike rivalry, and totally makes up for The Tulsa World printing The Oklahoman in 2016.
Also, I guess this means there’s a good chance that fashion model turned news anchor Brenna Stewart may make the move down to the turnpike! Hooray for OKC!
Although this decision by the cheap, conservative asshats at Sinclair adds another notch to OKC’s superiority belt, and will likely lead to George Kaiser now offering people $15,000 to live in Tulsa, I don’t want to goad Oklahoma's Second City too much over this.
With the TV news continuing to go the way of the typewriter, telegraph and T-Rex, there’s a good chance that Sinclair will probably move both Tulsa’s Channel 8 and our Channel 25 to Dallas within the next five to 10 years, so we can’t brag too much.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
