Last Updated on August 6, 2023, 2:46 AM | Published: September 15, 2022
When I started Oklahoma City Free Press in 2016, I thought it important to have our host city’s name as a part of our name. I still do.
That dedication to reporting our city is very much a part of our organizational DNA. It drives all of our reporting on the arts, politics, life, death, and city government — the most fundamental expression of democracy.
Metro news is about the life of the city and the stories of people who live there. The best news companies committed to news about its host city reflect that city’s life back to it like a big mirror.
And, this reflecting process is most important when it comes to city government, the most essential element of democracy. City government coordinates the most basic government functions that impact our daily lives.
- Hit a pothole and ruin a tire? Call City Hall and ask for street repair.
- Someone breaking in at 1 a.m.? Your police department will respond.
- House catch fire? Your city’s fire department will be sent.
- Developers engaging in shady practices? Your city has building codes.
- Trash not getting picked up? Your city government is responsible.
Most of local government affects our lives directly — and often — immediately.
It is retail democracy at work.
Government that crucial should get consistent coverage from reporters who are dedicated to and knowledgable about the city and committed to that city.
On this United Nations International Day of Democracy we consider that the press is needed on international, national, and local levels to ensure true democracy continues to thrive especially in these times of rising autocracies.
City government and coverage of it involves a lot of time spent on not-very-sexy topics. Yes, people may flock to the stories about homicides. Our readers sure do. But stories about building code hearings just don’t have the same appeal.
Nevertheless, the presence of that reporting does have an effect. City Hall does pay attention if a knowledgeable reporter is alert and asking questions. And, a normally sleepy public does wake up if there are mistakes or wrongdoing capably exposed.
The complexity of local government and delivery of services does mean that the city hall reporter has to know the people there and the processes in order to catch the mistakes. And that means commitment and time spent building relationships.
Catching what’s wrong about your city’s government is important. But, what I consider to be equally as important, is catching your government DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.
The public wants to give up and stop paying attention when irresponsible news outlets lazily hop from one controversy to another instead of digging deeper. That kind of coverage does not serve democracy at the city level.
What we have found over the years since we started in 2016 is that Oklahoma City government and the governments of the small cities within the metro possess mostly hard-working and dedicated elected officials and employees.
Certainly city council members are neighbors to ALL the people they represent. And, city employees see and hear from the people they serve at street level most days they work.
The work of the brightest and the best deserves coverage. But, it’s not just out of charity or back-scratching. The rest of us need that coverage, too.
To show the public what a good city council member, mayor, or employee does is to give voters a measuring stick to use in upcoming elections.
Free Press has continued to go to the expense of providing full coverage of city council and mayor races over the years. It is critical for our residents to stay engaged and step forward to vote for those who are truly committed to serving the people of Oklahoma City rather than some state or national agenda.
Engagement with the retail democracy of your city’s government often depends on whether you believe your effort is worth it. And, you won’t believe that unless you know more of the story from publications like ours.
That’s why we are here. That’s why we continue to publish.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
