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Tulsa Today Publisher David Arnett
David Arnett's career in journalism was launched in 1986 when he returned to Tulsa Junior College (TJC) to finish his degree. He took a news writing class "for fun" and was seduced by the occupation. Asked to edit the student publication Horizon, Arnett discovered a major violation of First Amendment Rights in the editorial restrictions placed on the publication by the school's administration. When internal lines of communication failed to correct this eleven year injustice, Arnett went public. The battle for change was followed by local, state and national press including the Columbia Journalism Review and USA Today. Over fifty-three Oklahoma print stories were published and all local television news programs covered the controversy. During this effort Arnett was fired as editor and, despite limited capital, began his own publication, the Independent Student News. That publication was the first in the nation to provide coverage of both public and private colleges in one metropolitan area. The Independent Student News under Arnett's leadership kept the TJC issue active building public pressure (including a resolution of intent passed by the Oklahoma Legislature) until the board of Regents overruled the administration and established free press rights for students. Arnett won the 1987 Scholastic Press Freedom Award presented by the Student Press Law Center, Associated Collegiate Press and the National Scholastic Press Association. He also won the 1988 Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award in Print Journalism. During the last decade David Arnett has been published as a free lance journalist by the Dallas Morning News, the Tulsa World, the Daily/Sunday Oklahoman, the Springfield News Leader, many local publications and several national wire services. He has produced broadcast news stories and editorial commentary. Arnett was a staff reporter for the Tulsa Tribune and, to date, has taken to press 32 editions of community publications printing over 500,000 copies for general distribution. In 1995 he edited the book, "In The Trees Of Tulsa, A Guide To The Chain Saw Art of Clayton Coss." In 1996, Arnett published Tulsa OnLine Magazine, Tulsa's first journalism magazine published on the World Wide Web. Traditionally, journalists move from smaller to larger markets with the eventual goal to reach New York or Los Angeles. David Arnett's goal is different. "I don't really care to save the world, but I do wish to make a difference in Tulsa," Arnett said. Late in 1998 Arnett joined PennWell Publishing's Water Group as Online Editor. PennWell is a speciality publisher of industry specific publications since 1910. Arnett was the first PennWell editor in company history to publish daily.
In April 2000, Arnett joined Digimarc as Associate Product Manager within the MediaBridge Division. MediaBridge is a technology that allows print images to serve as portals to specific Internet pages. Based on a unique watermark, Digimarc embedding uses the difference in luminosity between pixels to carry information software can read. Thus a embedded print piece may carry an Internet address recognizable by Digimarc's specific software, but virtually imperceptible by the human eye. Tulsa Today will continue as a journal of local commentary and news, a platform for free-lance talent. Arnett will continue to advise the staff of Tulsa Today, but new reporters are hitting the streets to bring you news and the truth behind the news in Tulsa. "This publication is more than a single individual. Tulsa Today is a freedom. Democracy requires a free press and citizen participation in public policy debate," Arnett said. "We will never leave the stage or change our basic plan, but it is up to the readers and the staff to grow success. In fact, this is your publication." "I believe Tulsa Today is just warming up," Arnett said. "The best is yet to come and I will do my best to both get out of the way and help it happen." |
