Media go (truck) nuts for new Oklahoma license plate

Gov. Mary Fallin yanked a drape off a wide piece of flimsy metal Monday afternoon, a proverbial starter’s pistol for media sprinting to get footage of the new Oklahoma license plate out to the public.

One could say the local press went (truck) nuts over the development.

In reality, The Lost Ogle played the Okie role of Sooners by publishing a sneak peek at the new plates earlier in the day, but that didn’t stop every OKC commercial TV station from running a package on the new automotive mark of the beast:

• KOCO: Officials unveil new Oklahoma license plate design
• KWTV: Gov. Mary Fallin unveils new Oklahoma license plate
• KOKH: Oklahoma officials unveil new license plate design
• KFOR: State officials unveil Oklahoma’s new license plate

Nothing like some good unveiling for a headline.

In fact, as viewers of News 9’s piece can see, Monday was a double unveiling, as the press conference featured two drapes being drawn off of two separate, oversized license plates. (In his package, News 9’s Chris Gilmore opened with a live standup from his station’s parking lot.)

Channel 4 actually doubled down on the license plate love by publishing a video-free online story before their reporters could return from the State Capitol.

And, the station committed a social media faux pas that needs little explanation:

Newspapers jumped on the Big News as well, with the Tulsa World using “unveil” in its headline but also adding details about the “state bird” design. The Oklahoman opted for “revealed” in its headline.

Meanwhile, down the street …

While stories about these new plates zoomed around social media to cheers, jeers and jokes about the Hunger Games, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission was busy taking one further step toward affirming that bribed votes count.

The good news is that several news outlets covered that story as well, but by the look of things on social media, the new Oklahoma license plate trumped interest in the topics of government bribery and corporate windfalls.

While that’s not surprising, perhaps petitioners seeking $16 billion in ratepayer repayments could spice up their next Oklahoma Corporation Commission appearance by wearing license-plate-related T-shirts.

Or maybe they could dangle truck nuts from their jackets.

It takes big ones to say that a bribed vote should count.

More recess: On enormous rate case, Todd Hiett states position before further delay

In vain: Legislature created 3 unordered vanity plates