The Oklahoman built a reputation as the state’s newspaper of record by covering the Oklahoma City community for more than 100 years. However, with several changes in ownership in recent years leading to staff cuts and a decline in print readership, the paper’s fortunes have reversed.

Better News recently published a report written by The Oklahoman’s business editor, David Dishman, on how the legacy newspaper has transformed itself from within and successfully shifted its focus away from print and toward growing its digital audience. Read the Report.

Dishman talks to Better News podcast host Michael O’Connell about some of the strategies the paper employed to help a staff steeped in print traditions adopt a digital-first approach. One strategy even included playing softball and kickball to bring reporters together as a team.

The Better News podcast is a partnership between It’s All Journalism and the American Press Institute to a) showcase innovative/experimental ideas that emerge from the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and b) share replicable strategies and tactics that benefit the news industry as a whole. Sign up for the Better News newsletter to receive news about the latest resources, case studies, and insights. For more news about the It’s All Journalism podcast and future episodes of Better News, sign up for the weekly IAJ newsletter.