CapitolBeatOK announces new affiliation with the Franklin Center

Published 03-Feb-2011

CapitolBeatOK, an independent news service based at the Oklahoma state Capitol in Oklahoma City, today (Thursday, February 3) announced a new relationship with the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, a national nonprofit journalism organization.

As part of the Franklin Center, CapitolBeatOK will continue to provide regular coverage of the Legislature, executive branch, agencies, and the judiciary branches in the state capitol of Oklahoma.

“The Franklin Center is honored to be working with CapitolBeatOK. Through the hard work of the talented journalists at CapitolBeatOK, the citizens of Oklahoma have come to learn that CapitolBeatOK is a terrific news sites that keeps elected officials accountable to the people,” said Jason Stverak, President of the Franklin Center. “CapitolBeatOK will continue to produce accurate, nonpartisan, and thorough news that will provide the people of Oklahoma a better understanding of their government and their elected officials.”

As of January 3rd the Franklin Center began handling all managerial duties for CapitolBeatOK, including reporters’ salaries, and payment of business expenses.

CapitolBeatOK is run by Editor Patrick B. McGuigan, an award-winning journalist with more than three decades of experience in news reporting, policy analysis, and commentary. McGuigan is also senior editor at The City Sentinel, a weekly newspaper, and capitol editor for Tulsa Today, an online news service. He contributes regularly to Perspective, the monthly publication of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt research organization. Previously, he was managing editor of The City Sentinel and contributing editor for Tulsa Today.

“After 18 months operating this online news service, I am delighted to be forming this new relationship with the Franklin Center. I am proud of the emerging cadre of state-level journalists working with Franklin to bring methodical scrutiny to waste, fraud, abuse, and misuse of taxpayers’ money,” said McGuigan. “I am grateful to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs as founding sponsor for CapitolBeatOK, and look forward to continued production of responsible and accountable coverage of our state government. ”

OCPA vice president Brandon Dutcher said he was “extremely pleased” with the new arrangement.

“Seeing a need for more journalistic eyes and ears at the state Capitol, we helped launch CapitolBeatOK in 2009,” said Dutcher. “We knew full well that Pat McGuigan, with his intelligence, experience and unmatched work ethic, would soon become an integral part of the state Capitol press corps. And that’s exactly what has happened.

“We are proud to have been part of CapitolBeatOK’s launch, and have no doubt that its best days are ahead.”

About the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity

Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity promotes social welfare and civil betterment by undertaking programs that promote journalism and the education of the public about corruption, incompetence, fraud, or taxpayer abuse by elected officials at all levels of government. Founded in January of 2009, The Franklin Center is a nonpartisan organization that believes that new technology can advance the cause of transparency in government. The Franklin Center aims to educate, to advise and to train individuals and organizations from all backgrounds to become thorough, unbiased and responsible reporters well versed in new media techniques and journalistic integrity. For more information on the Franklin Center please visit www.FranklinCenterHQ.org

About CapitolBeatOK

CapitolBeatOK is an independent, nonpartisan news service based at the Oklahoma state capitol providing regular coverage of the Legislature, executive branch, agencies, and the judiciary. Now affiliated with the Franklin Center, CapitolBeatOK was contracted in 2009 by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) to provide incisive news reporting on areas of broad public interest. CapitolBeatOK supports the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

**Note – To set up an interview with Franklin Center President Jason Stverak please contact Meghan Tisinger at Meghan.Tisinger@FranklinCenterhq.org or 202-680-9023.