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Attorney General Drew Edmondson is apparently very popular with Oklahoma’s lazy media. Our continuing investigation into the media’s appalling silence in the “poultrygate” scandal has turned up another interesting development.
World publishing Chairman Richard E. Lorton donated $2,000 to the Edmondson re-election effort last year. Coincidentally, Edmondson also won the World’s endorsement. The AG’s republican opponent James Dunn was outraised and outspent almost three to one in the race and was soundly defeated in a landslide. (61% -39%)
Again we ask the question: Why would Mr. Lorton and KSWO executives feel so compelled to jeopardize their respective organizations’ journalistic integrity by supporting financially a political campaign that was in no danger of being defeated? You would think credible news organizations would keep an arms length distance from a candidate running for re-election, especially a candidate currently involved in a controversial lawsuit!
Are there any real Oklahoma journalists out there? Outside of the stories reporting on Edmondson performing his official duties, we would be curious to know the Lexis/Nexis search results of Edmondson’s and James Dunn’s mentions in the Tulsa World last year. Please send in confidence to our tipline.
Yesterday we commented on the Tulsa World congratulating themselves on their wins in the “B” category of newspapers.
An alert reader notified us that the World had actually been named the state’s top newspaper in the “A” category. The Community World – an insert to the the World – had the wins in the “B” category.
Our reader surmises that the insert – that is not a separate newspaper – was deliberately entered to compete against smaller, independent newspapers to “hike its win count.”
They continue by offering enlightening comments on the Tulsa World and plagiarism, conflicts of interests, and lazy journalism:
“Plagiarism–the World loves to put other news organizations’ work in its pages, but won’t credit the source even if it was a major investigation. Don’t see that problem with real newspapers–just last night the Telegraph in London credited the New York Times for a key international story, even though the Times’ contribution was relatively minimal. The World is a swamp of conflicts of interest, ethics violations and, most sinister, editorial crusades designed to line the pockets of the publisher’s family and save them from their bad real estate investments. The Gaylord family is cleaning up its act; the Lorton family is a disgrace. Nice catch.”
They continue:
“Ask anyone who works in emergency services how often the newspaper runs material two days after the fact, without using the updates provided by the agency, then refuses to correct the resulting errors. It is a standing joke!”
Poor Elmo is probably laughing as hard as we were when we found this story on the Tulsa World’s website today.
The Tulsa Community World was entered in Division B newspapers, which have a 7,000 to 17,999 circulation. Winners include:
Minority Issues: first, Sara Plummer.
Health Reporting: honorable mention, Mike Averill.
Photo Story/Essay: second, Cory Young.
The Tulsa World was also honored in the Public Relations category:
Promotional Material: third, Stacey Roggendorff.
Poor Elmo is probably laughing as hard as we were when we found this story on the Tulsa World’s website today.
The Tulsa Community World was entered in Division B newspapers, which have a 7,000 to 17,999 circulation. Winners include:
Minority Issues: first, Sara Plummer.
Health Reporting: honorable mention, Mike Averill.
Photo Story/Essay: second, Cory Young.
The Tulsa World was also honored in the Public Relations category:
Promotional Material: third, Stacey Roggendorff.
