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With over a century of serving this community, Ponca City News continues to provide the local area news in a changing world. Originally founded in 1893, its current Director of Operations Nick Theodoran, explains that even though readership for print media is down from even 20 years ago, the readers who continue to read are dedicated.
Theodoran moved to Ponca City from Independence, Kansas, to take over in his current position in April 2020, after the purchase of Ponca City News by its current owners in late 2018. The purchase by Kay Media, with owners Scott Wesner and Scott Woods, who grew up in Cordell, Oklahoma, increased the number of local papers owned by the two to around 20. Theodoran works with about 10 of those as press designer, after beginning with the organization in the mailroom in high school. Since he moved here during COVID-19, the hardest part was truly getting acclimated to this city and its people—for him professionally and his family personally. However, they now love all this area of Oklahoma has to offer.
He realizes Ponca City News moved to their ownership after a long-time publisher with long-term relationships. In November 2018, an article on the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association site mentioned the paper’s 100 years in the Muchmore family, a family with rich history in Ponca City. Tom Muchmore, publisher of Ponca City News from 1997 to 2018 and who was presented with Ponca City’s Outstanding Citizen award in 2001 and inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2013, was quoted in the article as saying, “It is a bittersweet time for our family to end our work at Ponca City News. It has been a labor of love we have for the newspaper and community which we have taken seriously and with devotion. We are excited to see new owners who bring experience, enthusiasm and new ideas.” Both the Muchmores and the new owners looked toward it remaining a vital part of the local community.
According to Theodoran, that’s exactly why the media group secures local papers: “So towns can keep their local news. This is where people can see what’s happening locally.”
According to Staff Writer Calley Lamar, who came here from a position at the newspaper in Okeene, Oklahoma, his spotlights on education and the Ponca City Area Chamber led to many contacts for which he is still thankful. Lamar says the greatest benefit of being a writer for Ponca City News is all the people he meets and being able to attend so many events. When asked about one of his favorites, he mentions his two-day experience with Jeff Denton who was with Ponca City Public Schools and who would say he had “the largest restaurant in the county.” Lamar traveled between schools and such during the in-depth time spent with Denton for the article. Lamar is one of the few local writers for the paper and has served in numerous areas of the process since he came to Ponca City.
Although there are fewer numbers on the staff at Ponca City News now, much of that is due to the work that can be done digitally, remotely and not needing the many who worked in delivery in previous years. Many of us remember fondly our parents paying their newspaper boy in cash at the door. However, even most of us who still had the paper delivered at home when they grew up, moved to the ease of payment online.
One of the most significant and beneficial aspects of the sale, which Theodoran credits to Muchmore, is his investment in a nice, large printer. Muchmore’s vision with this purchase has led to 25 different papers—from Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma—being printed right here in Ponca City.
However, with all these changes, what Theodoran and his apt crew at Ponca City News can still point to with pride is the local news coverage. Both Theodoran and Lamar stress that front-page coverage and more is local, while state and national news is in the interior of the paper. Local coverage is what was important to the previous owners, and it is what continues to be the strength of this newspaper today.
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