JAKE MERRICK · FOUNDING PUBLISHER · JUN 10, 2026 · 4 MIN READ
If you landed here today, you may notice something unusual: a news site that is honest about still being built.
That is intentional. The Colony OK is not a template with filler copy. We are assembling an independent Oklahoma news media hub — investigative stories, a podcast network, live programming, county-level reporting, and membership tools that keep the press accountable to readers instead of advertisers.
What you are seeing right now
The homepage, story pages, podcast network, live schedule, and journalist masthead are live in development. Some rails are populated with seed reporting so designers, engineers, and contributors can stress-test the product before launch week. Other sections will fill in as our newsroom pipeline goes live.
What we are building toward
- **Investigations desk** — Long-form accountability reporting with named bylines, public-records rigor, and corrections displayed prominently.
- **Podcast network** — Flagship shows plus field-report audio from counties the legacy press ignores.
- **Live broadcast hub** — Scheduled and breaking coverage with replays, member chat, and clip uploads from the community.
- **County moat** — Local feeds so rural Oklahoma gets the same production quality as the metro capitol beat.
- **Reader-funded membership** — $4.99/month unlocks the full archive; no ad deals, no junkets, no hidden sponsors.
Why publish this note now
Independent media dies when it pretends to be finished on day one. We would rather tell you the truth: the hub is being built in public, with editorial standards already locked even while the product surface area expands.
If you are a journalist, contributor, or member who wants Oklahoma reporting that does not bend to national outrage cycles, this is the room we are building for you.
How to follow along
- Read updates on this blog as we ship major hub milestones.
- Browse early stories and shows to see the editorial direction.
- Join the membership waitlist at /pricing when you are ready to fund the work.
We are not asking you to trust a brand deck. We are asking you to watch the hub take shape — and hold us to the standards we publish on /about.
Thank you for stopping by while we build.
— Jake Merrick, Founding Publisher