New insider book about Tulsa TV and politics

[TulsaTV]

Excerpt from candid new book, How High Can a Guy Stoop? by Mike Miller, former Tulsa TV reporter and anchor:

"Finding another job was a priority.  My low opinion of Jim Inhofe soured me on politics.  At the same time, television news seemed to lose its fun and excitement.  Washington DC was exciting, but something seemed lacking.  Perhaps I missed the mischief I recalled from early Tulsa TV."

More of the excerpt at AuthorHouse.

Illustrated page with even more excerpts at Tulsa TV Memories.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by TulsaTV

Excerpt from candid new book, How High Can a Guy Stoop? by Mike Miller, former Tulsa TV reporter and anchor:

"Finding another job was a priority.  My low opinion of Jim Inhofe soured me on politics.  At the same time, television news seemed to lose its fun and excitement.  Washington DC was exciting, but something seemed lacking.  Perhaps I missed the mischief I recalled from early Tulsa TV."

More of the excerpt at AuthorHouse.

Illustrated page with even more excerpts at Tulsa TV Memories.

One thing I remember about the TV thing in Tulsa was how transitory it was. That cool guy or that hot chick in the anchor's chair or on location was obviously just passing through on the way to bigger and better things. Has it changed these days? I ask because the last time I stayed in Tulsa after the Hurricane and even whilst visiting my people, I saw how different the faces were on every channel. Is the turnover really that high?

[Conan71]

TTV- I read some of the excerpt on-line from the blog site.  Good stuff, I may have to get a copy of the book.

Mr. Jaynes- With a few exceptions, the anchors are pretty much locally oriented.  We still get a few on their way to bigger and better things.  The Channel 8 evening anchor crew have been together a very long time- 15 years or so, I'd guess.  Channel 6 is pretty stable, the Fox affiliate has had the same female anchor and meteorologist since they started an evening newscast.  I seldom watch Channel 2 news so I can't speak as to current stability.  I don't think we have any more turn-over than other markets.

Since the anchor chairs are pretty stable, I believe most turn-over is in the reporting ranks.  They move on to get an anchor chair since they seem to be rarely available here.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

TTV- I read some of the excerpt on-line from the blog site.  Good stuff, I may have to get a copy of the book.

Mr. Jaynes- With a few exceptions, the anchors are pretty much locally oriented.  We still get a few on their way to bigger and better things.  The Channel 8 evening anchor crew have been together a very long time- 15 years or so, I'd guess.  Channel 6 is pretty stable, the Fox affiliate has had the same female anchor and meteorologist since they started an evening newscast.  I seldom watch Channel 2 news so I can't speak as to current stability.  I don't think we have any more turn-over than other markets.

Since the anchor chairs are pretty stable, I believe most turn-over is in the reporting ranks.  They move on to get an anchor chair since they seem to be rarely available here.

Well, here lately, a friend from my high school days told me about a website called Tulsa TV Memories, and I have gone through it when I'm not at work or taking care of bidness, and it's fascinating to find out where many of the TV people I saw back in the day are now. I even found websites for all the the Tulsa channels, and there are few people still in Tulsa that I remember, but other people have moved on to wherever. I was also surprised to learn that Tulsa Fox23 has its own newscast nowadays.

[RecycleMichael]

TulsaTv memories is TulsaTV on this forum. His website is one of my favorites...I think we old-timers should treat him like a king for the work he has done.

[mr.jaynes]

Absolutely. Examining that site brings back all kinds of memories. At times, it even makes me miss Tulsa just a bit.

[TulsaTV]

Thank you, Mr. Jaynes and RecycleMichael. You make me feel as if I had just ingested some Imperial Margarine.

[mr.jaynes]

Neat thing is, anything Tulsa-related is on that site. Man, I get very nostagic looking at it, feels like I never left.

[swake]

The anchors on KOTV and KTUL measure their tenure on TV in Tulsa in decades, not years. And the people they replaced retired. KJRH and KOKI have more turnover, but their ratings aren't good so that's to be expected.

I went to KOTV and KTUL's websites and these eight anchors have been on TV in Tulsa for a combined 192 years, or an average of 23 years each.

KOTV:
Scott Thompson on KOTV since 1990, in Tulsa since 1987
Terry Hood on KOTV since 1987
Lori Fullbright on KOTV since 1992
LeAnne Taylor on KOTV since 1998, in Tulsa since 1984
Glenda Silvey on KOTV since 1985
Travis Meyer on KOTV since 2005, in Tulsa since 1982
Carole Lambert on KTUL since 1982
Charles Ely on KTUL since 1985

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by swake

The anchors on KOTV and KTUL measure their tenure on TV in Tulsa in decades, not years. And the people they replaced retired. KJRH and KOKI have more turnover, but their ratings aren't good so that's to be expected.

I went to KOTV and KTUL's websites and these eight anchors have been on TV in Tulsa for a combined 192 years, or an average of 23 years each.

KOTV:
Scott Thompson on KOTV since 1990, in Tulsa since 1987
Terry Hood on KOTV since 1987
Lori Fullbright on KOTV since 1992
LeAnne Taylor on KOTV since 1998, in Tulsa since 1984
Glenda Silvey on KOTV since 1985
Travis Meyer on KOTV since 2005, in Tulsa since 1982
Carole Lambert on KTUL since 1982
Charles Ely on KTUL since 1985

I'm kinda amazed that KOKI has a newscast.

[swake]

KQCW (Tulsa's CW affiliate) is owned by KOTV and has a nightly news show by the KOTV staff at 9, and KOED (PBS) has a nightly statewide news show. So you can watch local news on five different stations in the Tulsa market each night, which is probably about average for a Tulsa sized market.

[mr.jaynes]

So looking at the Tulsa TV website, I saw and entire page dedicated to Uncle Zeb. Man, I loved watching that, it was fun, and what was cool are the old cartoons that they'd play on there. THAT is where I got my love for old cartoons-I think they are in some cases better than some of the toons that are produced in this day and age.

[marc]

Mr. Jaynes, KOKI-23 has a very good newscast with Chera Kimiko as anchor and weather with Jon Slater. The late evening news is on at 9PM, an hour earlier than the other three stations.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by marc

Mr. Jaynes, KOKI-23 has a very good newscast with Chera Kimiko as anchor and weather with Jon Slater. The late evening news is on at 9PM, an hour earlier than the other three stations.

I saw the Fox23 website, and the Jon Slater looks familiar, was he on KTUL?

[marc]

Yes, a few years ago the KTUL weather guys were Travis Meyer, Frank Mitchell and Jon Slater. Slater left for a stint in Kansas City, but returned to be the chief meteorologist at Fox 23.

Today Frank Mitchell is the head weather man at KTUL-8, Travis Meyer at KOTV-6 and Jon Slater at KOKI-23.