Correction to Daily Oklahoman article

Sunday, June 8, 2008

I suppose this isn't exactly a correction to an article found in the Daily Oklahoman, but rather an addendum.

In the article "Oklahoma finds markets worldwide for its goods" (By Debbie Blossom, June 6, 2008) a small piece of information was excluded that could change the impression given to readers. The quote:

This is the sixth year for the report. Chamber official Mike Seney said it includes detailed statistics on Oklahoma's top exporting products and markets.

And while the numbers are impressive, the report is on the conservative side. It doesn't include products made here and then sent to other states to be assembled and shipped overseas...
Addendum: The Oklahoma Department of Commerce has been doing an international trade report for over 10 years. While the Chamber's piece is done on contract by a publishing agency in New York, the trade report done by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce is done with the cooperation of local researchers and is more detailed in trade data and the industry-specific trends preferred by economic developers. The state will also expand on the report at the request of companies for a customized analysis.

Although the state agency is cited in the article, the Oklahoma Export Report was released on the agency's website at least a week prior to the newspaper article. In fact, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce is usually first in releasing its report. However the Daily Oklahoman, typically waits until the Chamber is ready regardless of how much earlier the state report is released. The article- done every year- gives the impression that the State Chamber is the primary source of information for state international trade information.

The Daily Oklahoman has a reputation for ignoring technical contributions made by state agencies. For example, when major local investment is announced (a plant opening, new wharehouse, etc) the Daily Oklahoman will cite and interview local economic developers and attorneys when- in order to make these projects happen- the very same people lean heavily on state staff to do the bulk of the work. But we wouldn't want to distort the picture with facts.

To clarify, this blog addition isn't about the State Chamber or their information. The point I am attempting to make here is about the newspaper's ongoing practice of pretending that state government has nothing to say or no expertise. In fact, I am very familiar with the agency that produces the Chamber's report, Manzella Trade Communications, and I have nothing to say but good about their work. It is solid macro analysis and their staff is highly professional. I intend on promoting some of their upcoming media initiatives on this blog.

Download the Oklahoma Chamber's Report from this site.

Download the Oklahoma Export Report by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce from this site. If this report looks similar to some things on this blog, that's because I am one of the local analysts that puts it together.

I teach them all the good I can, and recommend them to others from whom I think they will get some moral benefit. And the treasures that the wise men of old have left us in their writings I open and explore with my friends. If we come on any good thing, we extract it, and we set much store on being useful to one another. - Socrates, Memorabilia
 
 
 
What we maintain is that in none of the problems of life can men afford to lose sight of the storehouse bequeathed to them by the ancients. In the complexus of everything which differentiates man from the brute creation, the voice of antiquity must be heard...

-H. Browne, quoted in "Classics and Citizenship" The Classical Quarterly, 1920