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The “Your Vote Counts” team tackles the week’s hot topics: John Edwards, the Oklahoma County Jail, Oklahoma corrections, and the global warming debate.
NEWS 9’s political team discusses Paris Hilton, Toby Keith and what they have to do with the race for the White House.
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Video: Behind the Scenes at “Your Vote Counts”
*Your Vote Counts can be seen on News9 each Thursday during the 4:00 newscast or here on the web.
Related: Your Vote Counts Blog
The wheels are falling off of Oklahoma City’s once-proud television news organization, KFOR.
Problems began after The New York Times Company sold KFOR in 2007 to Local TV LLC, a limited liability company owned by Oak Hill Capitol which was formed to buy the nine television stations owned by the Times.
Industry observers say that morale at the station is at an all-time low, and that the management put into place by Local TV LLC is a disaster. “Watch for the exodus of talent from KFOR in the very near future,” one local television expert tells OKPNS. He goes on to say that even long-time KFOR news folks are nervous due to Local TV LLC’s poor news acumen and miserly business practices. “I doubt long-time viewers will recognize anybody at KFOR by the end of the year if something isn’t done right away,” he says.
The station is being beaten in some key demographic categories it used to own, and Chopper4 has been all but grounded due to budget concerns. Further, their once proud political talk show Flashpoint has lost its mojo: News9’s Your Vote Counts is creating the buzz in political circles these days. The loss of Burns Hargis, bad programming decisions and revelations of co-host Mike Turpen’s blatant ethical lapses have all but sunk the formerly respectable political talk show.
Developing…..
Former Exxon Mobil CEO Lee Raymond & Mike Turpen separated at birth?
In a stunning revelation, Turpen noted that he had recently visited the web site of former Louisiana State Representative and Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, David Duke. Turpen went on to say that Duke had endorsed Terrill for governor. Republican Kirk Humphries absent-mindedly countered that the endorsement probably was something he (Terrill) didn’t want, further cementing the lie as truth.
As of Noon, the weekend segment still was not posted on the KFOR website. Clearly the station needs to explain why the Turpen is allowed to pimp clients and friends without declaring the conflicts that OKPNS routinely discovers. In late 2006 he attempted to censor a report by reporter Ali Meyer that was highly critical of Turpen pal Drew Edmondson, ironically Flashpoint’s guest on Sunday. As would be expected, Turpen’s press hypocrisy has never come under scrutiny by the capitol press corps.
To add to the irony, the show recently hosted Terrill, a regular on rival News9’s Your Vote Counts, which has much more viewers, in an effort to boost Flashpoint’s sagging ratings.
So why was Turpen visiting a white supremacist web site? Turpen’s pals Bill and Hillary Clinton have employed race-baiting throughout the presidential campaign and Turpen, a chief fund raiser for Sen. Clinton, appears to be utilizing the same sick and disgusting tactics.
Meanwhile, Turpen revealed his admiration for another clown, Sen. Dirty Harry Coates, but spared viewers other stomach-turning details such as a list of the other types of web-sites fat, sweaty trial lawyers like to surf late at night.
Click here to view past shows.
As many of you know, I had a chance to visit Oklahoma City last week. It was great to meet a lot of old and new friends; everyone was kind and showed me what “Okie” hospitality was all about! I finally met Ron Black and found out that he is just as rabid about hunting in person, as he is in his emails and on his blog.
I want to thank the “Your Vote Counts” crew for allowing me the honor of watching a taping of their show. It’s too bad you couldn’t see Scott doing his impressions of politicians. Priceless! As usual, the show was lively and very entertaining. YVC is, by far, the most watched political show in Oklahoma.
Unfortunately, not all of my trip was fun and games. I initially flew to OKC because of a tip for a huge story that is brewing that the mainstream Oklahoma media is frankly too afraid too touch. (That’s the reason polling data suggests more and more informed adults are getting a majority of their news online, instead of in the traditional media sources.) My source would only confirm their information to me in person.
Stay tuned in the coming days for further details. I can tell you this. It’s a story that will make you scratch your head and say, “Do they think were that stupid?”
