If you’re looking for the pulse of Ottawa County, you’ve probably realized that finding a straight answer about the Miami OK News Record is harder than it used to be. It’s not just a newspaper. Honestly, for the folks living in "My-Am-Uh," it’s the primary record of who was born, who got married, and whose cattle got out on Highway 69.
But things have changed. A lot.
There is a huge misconception that local papers like this one have just vanished into the digital void. You’ve seen the "news desert" headlines. While the industry is definitely hurting, the Miami News-Record (often searched as the Miami OK News Record) is still kicking, though its footprint looks nothing like the daily broadsheet your grandparents used to get on their porch.
The Evolution of the Miami OK News Record
The history here is deep. We’re talking about a publication that can trace its roots back to 1903, surviving mergers that sound like a messy family tree. It started as the Miami Evening Record, smashed into the Miami Record-Herald in 1904, and eventually became the Miami Daily News-Record in 1928.
For decades, it was a daily. It had to be. In a town built on lead and zinc mining—where the population exploded faster than the local infrastructure could keep up—people needed the news every single morning.
Who actually owns it now?
In 2021, the paper was sold to Reid Newspapers. This was a pretty big deal because it moved the ownership from the massive, corporate hands of Gannett (the guys who run USA Today) back to a family-owned operation based right here in Oklahoma.
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Reid Newspapers also runs the Weatherford Daily News and the Grove Sun. They basically specialize in keeping the lights on for small-town Oklahoma newsrooms.
- Publication Schedule: It’s no longer a daily. It’s a twice-weekly paper, usually hitting the stands on Tuesdays and Fridays.
- Circulation: Last check had it around 5,300 copies.
- Physical Location: 1 N. Main St., Miami, OK 74354.
Why People Get Confused (The Florida Problem)
If you Google "Miami News Record," half the time you get hits for the Miami Herald or the old Miami News out of Florida. It’s annoying.
Let’s be clear: the Miami OK News Record is the one serving Ottawa and Delaware counties in Oklahoma. If you’re looking for information on the Coleman Theatre, the Route 66 celebrations, or the latest from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO), you’re in the right place. If you’re looking for South Beach, you’re about 1,300 miles off.
The paper is the primary source for "legals." If the city is raising utility rates or there’s a zoning change on Steve Owens Blvd, this is where the official notice lives. Without it, the town’s transparency basically goes out the window.
The Struggle for Local Journalism in 2026
Local news is in a weird spot. According to research from the Oklahoma Media Center, most Oklahomans are now getting their "news" from Facebook groups and word of mouth. That's risky.
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Social media is great for finding out why there are three police cars at the Braum's, but it's terrible for actual, vetted reporting. The Miami OK News Record fills that gap by actually sending people to the Miami Community Facilities Authority meetings or the Seniors' Center Board of Directors.
They also maintain a digital archive. This is a goldmine for genealogy. If your great-uncle was a mining engineer in the Tri-State district in the 1940s, his name is probably in those digital scans on sites like OldNews.com or through the paper's own subscriber portal.
Digital vs. Print
Most people don't realize that the "Record" part of the name is literal. The paper serves as the official historical record for the city. While the print edition is down to twice a week, their website (miamiok.com) and their Facebook presence are where the real-time updates happen.
But here is the catch: digital news costs money to produce. The transition from the old "daily" model to a "digital-first, twice-weekly print" model is a survival tactic. It’s happening in Vinita, it’s happening in Grove, and it’s definitely happening in Miami.
Real Examples of What They Cover
To understand the value of the Miami OK News Record, you have to look at the hyper-local stuff.
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- The Lead and Zinc Legacy: Miami sits near the Tar Creek Superfund site. Monitoring the environmental impact and the government's response is something a national news outlet will never do consistently.
- Route 66 Tourism: As we approach the centennial of the Mother Road, the local paper is the one documenting how the town is prepping for the influx of tourists.
- Tribal Relations: With the headquarters of several tribes nearby—including the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and the Modoc Nation—the paper covers the complex intersection of tribal and municipal government.
How to Actually Get the News Now
If you want the most accurate, up-to-date info from the Miami OK News Record, you can’t just wait for a paper to show up on your lawn. You’ve gotta be proactive.
Subscription Options:
Reid Newspapers offers a mix. You can get the "Print + Digital" combo, which is the best way to support local jobs, or just go for "Instant Digital Access."
Contacting the Newsroom:
If you have a story lead or a graduation announcement, you can reach them at news@reidnewspapers.com or call 918-542-5533.
Actionable Insights for Readers:
- Check the Legals: If you own property in Miami, check the legal notices in the Friday edition. That’s where the "surprises" like tax changes or nearby construction projects are hidden.
- Use the Archive: If you're a history buff, the digital archive is much better than a random Google search. It’s indexed by year and name.
- Support Local: If the paper doesn’t get subscribers, it stops existing. Then, the only news source left is a Facebook group where everyone is arguing about nothing.
For anyone who cares about the future of Northeast Oklahoma, keeping an eye on the Miami OK News Record isn't just about reading the news; it's about making sure the town's history doesn't stop being written.
To stay informed about specific municipal updates, your best bet is to regularly cross-reference the paper's reporting with the official City of Miami website's meeting agendas, which are often posted several days in advance of the Tuesday night council sessions.