Anybody catch the recent Fox 25 vs. The Oklahoman row? Chances are a lot more likely you have after The Oke ran a full-page ad calling attention to it.
According to the recent series "Problems in Print" on the local Fox affiliate, KOKH Channel 25, by boy wonder Nick Winkler, times are hard for the mighty Oke.
In the course of his Winkinizing, Winkler interviewed two local editors, one from The Journal Record and one from this publication. Both opined about how great times are at smaller, targeted publications. You'd think we're swimming in caviar on coffee break. (But Bucky, Chicken-Fried News' long-suffering intern, is wondering why the pizza fund is empty. At least CFN hasn't outsourced copy editing duties to India "¦ yet.).
Anyway, a particularly telling part of the Winkinator's story stated that The Oklahoman's staff refused repeated requests for interviews.
Well, as it turns out, The Oke did respond "¦ with a full-page ad in their Sunday edition. The ad showed a red fox wearing a yellow, pointed dunce cap. The ad stated, "Get the facts before you believe the lowest rated local network news. This ad will reach 15 times as many Oklahoma City adults as one ad during KOKH Fox 25's prime time."
It occurred to us that running that ad probably means that, now, 15 times the number of people have heard of the Winkinator's series.
As the series soldiered on, in a funny bit of turnabout, the Winkinator ended up doing a stand-up shot on the Broadway Extension, with The Oke in the background. Now who's giving whom some free publicity?
For that matter, has CFN played into this unholy tryst? Have we given two competitors precious press space? And how is The Oke going to respond to Fox 25's response to their response? We suggest a rumble. CFN will bring the popcorn and commemorative T-shirts. Stay tuned!
