Edward K. Gaylord
Encyclopedia
Edward King Gaylord often referred to as E.K. Gaylord, was the owner and publisher of the Daily Oklahoman newspaper
(now The Oklahoman
), as well as a radio
and television
entrepreneur. Born in Kansas
and educated in Colorado
, he worked on several publications before moving to Oklahoma and buying an interest in the Daily Oklahoman. He built the publication into a statewide newspaper and took over its parent company in 1918.
After his death in 1974, Gaylord's family has continued to have a hand in the newspaper even today.
and educated in Colorado
, Gaylord attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado
. His older brother talked him into buying the Colorado Springs Telegraph and later got him to work as the business manager of the St. Joseph Dispatch in Missouri
.
in December 1902 and bought an interest in the Daily Oklahoman publication that had been founded in 1889. Gaylord became the paper's business manager in January 1903. He married Inez Kinney of New York City in 1914. In 1918, he became president of the newspaper's parent company.
Gaylord built the Daily Oklahoman into a statewide newspaper, took part in the statehood movement, and was responsible for building a small experimental radio operation into the state's first major radio station, WKY
. He also established the state's first television station, WKY-TV.
Gaylord died in 1974.
inherited the Daily Oklahoman and other family assets worth $50 million in 1974. Stanford University
-educated in business, Edward L. increased the family fortune by a factor of forty, to two billion dollars at the time of his death in 2003. He also purchased the Grand Ole Opry
in Nashville, Tennessee
. He created The Nashville Network
TV channel, and also Country Music Television
, or CMT.
The Daily Oklahoman newspaper, later named The Oklahoman, remains in the family. Although a respected newspaper during Edward King Gaylord's tenure, it became unabashedly partisan
after Edward L. became its publisher; in Oklahoma it was frequently referred to as "The Daily Disappointment," and the Columbia Journalism Review
dubbed it "The Worst Newspaper in America" in 1999.
Today the paper is led by Edward's daughter, publisher Christy Gaylord Everest
. Everest has led a major visual modernizing of the newspaper in recent years and is assisted in the operating of the newspaper by her sister, Louise Gaylord Bennett.
The Gaylord family has frequently provided selected philanthropic contributions. They have founded the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City
, and have given the University of Oklahoma
contributions totaling over $50 million in the last three decades, resulting in a large proportion of the buildings on campus being named after one family member or another. They provided seed money for the university's Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication
which recently constructed a new facility thanks in a large part to Gaylord donations.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
(now The Oklahoman
The Oklahoman
The Oklahoman is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma and is the only daily newspaper that covers the entire Oklahoma City area.-Ownership:...
), as well as a radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
entrepreneur. Born in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and educated in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, he worked on several publications before moving to Oklahoma and buying an interest in the Daily Oklahoman. He built the publication into a statewide newspaper and took over its parent company in 1918.
After his death in 1974, Gaylord's family has continued to have a hand in the newspaper even today.
Early life and career
Born in eastern KansasKansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and educated in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Gaylord attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. His older brother talked him into buying the Colorado Springs Telegraph and later got him to work as the business manager of the St. Joseph Dispatch in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
Oklahoma
Gaylord came to Oklahoma City, OklahomaOklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
in December 1902 and bought an interest in the Daily Oklahoman publication that had been founded in 1889. Gaylord became the paper's business manager in January 1903. He married Inez Kinney of New York City in 1914. In 1918, he became president of the newspaper's parent company.
Gaylord built the Daily Oklahoman into a statewide newspaper, took part in the statehood movement, and was responsible for building a small experimental radio operation into the state's first major radio station, WKY
WKY
WKY is a radio station located in Oklahoma City and is under ownership of Cumulus Media.WKY is the oldest radio station in Oklahoma, the 28th-oldest in the nation and the third-oldest west of the Mississippi River...
. He also established the state's first television station, WKY-TV.
Gaylord died in 1974.
Gaylord family
His son, Edward L. GaylordEdward Gaylord
Edward Lewis Gaylord was a billionaire businessman and media mogul who built the Gaylord Entertainment Company empire that included The Oklahoman newspaper/ Oklahoma Publishing Co., Gaylord Hotels, the Nashville Network TV Channel ; the Grand Ole Opry, and the Country Music Television Channel as...
inherited the Daily Oklahoman and other family assets worth $50 million in 1974. Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
-educated in business, Edward L. increased the family fortune by a factor of forty, to two billion dollars at the time of his death in 2003. He also purchased the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. He created The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows...
TV channel, and also Country Music Television
Country Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
, or CMT.
The Daily Oklahoman newspaper, later named The Oklahoman, remains in the family. Although a respected newspaper during Edward King Gaylord's tenure, it became unabashedly partisan
Partisan (political)
In politics, a partisan is a committed member of a political party. In multi-party systems, the term is widely understood to carry a negative connotation - referring to those who wholly support their party's policies and are perhaps even reluctant to acknowledge correctness on the part of their...
after Edward L. became its publisher; in Oklahoma it was frequently referred to as "The Daily Disappointment," and the Columbia Journalism Review
Columbia Journalism Review
The Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
dubbed it "The Worst Newspaper in America" in 1999.
Today the paper is led by Edward's daughter, publisher Christy Gaylord Everest
Christy Gaylord Everest
Christy Gaylord Everest is the chair and chief executive officer of Oklahoma Publishing Company, which publishes The Oklahoman, a major metro newspaper that has been owned by her family since before Oklahoma statehood in 1907. She is the daughter of Edward L. Gaylord and the grand-daughter of...
. Everest has led a major visual modernizing of the newspaper in recent years and is assisted in the operating of the newspaper by her sister, Louise Gaylord Bennett.
The Gaylord family has frequently provided selected philanthropic contributions. They have founded the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, and have given the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
contributions totaling over $50 million in the last three decades, resulting in a large proportion of the buildings on campus being named after one family member or another. They provided seed money for the university's Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication
Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication
The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication is the journalism unit of the University of Oklahoma in Norman. It is located in Norman, a quaint town located 40 miles south of Oklahoma City...
which recently constructed a new facility thanks in a large part to Gaylord donations.