NewsChannel 8 will become Tulsa’s News Pulse beginning May 18, as KTUL rolls out a reporter-driven format built around hyperlocal storytelling, live reporting and closer community connection. The station said Tulsa’s News Pulse officially launches Monday, May 18 at 5 p.m.
Mark Martin said Tulsa’s News Pulse is about being closer to the community than ever before. He said the station is reimagining local news to give viewers more local stories, more relevance and a deeper connection to the community. The change is meant to put more reporters in neighborhoods across Tulsa and the surrounding area, with coverage aimed at people, businesses and issues that shape daily life.
The timing matters because the launch lands with a wider push by Sinclair to strengthen local news operations in Tulsa. The company has established an expanded content center at KOKI, with significant upgrades to weather technology, studio production and master control. That investment is intended to help both stations deliver more enterprise reporting, more live field coverage and stronger local and regional journalism across multiple platforms.
For viewers, the most immediate shift should be visible on air and in the field: more reporting from the places where news is happening, and a sharper focus on Tulsa and its nearby communities. The station says the new format is designed to expand coverage of neighborhoods, businesses and local issues, while the upgraded technology is meant to support faster and more flexible production. The question now is whether that added reach translates into the kind of day-to-day local coverage that keeps audiences coming back.
