In 1979, Russell M. Perry started the Perry Publishing Company with it’s first edition Oklahoma City’s The Black Chronicle newspaper.
The Black Chronicle newspaper, a weekly periodical servicing the Oklahoma City metro area’s African American population, has grown into one of the largest paid weekly newspapers in the state of Oklahoma. Currently, The Black Chronicle services the entire state of Oklahoma – (i.e., Tulsa, Lawton/Ft. Sill, and Oklahoma City).
In 1993, with the purchase of KVSP 1140 AM in Oklahoma City, Perry formed the Perry Publishing & Broadcasting Company, Inc. KVSP AM became the first urban-formatted radio station for Oklahoma City in more than fifteen years.
In 1994, PPBC purchased KJMM-FM in Tulsa, Oklahoma to give Tulsa and all of Green Country its first full signal FM Urban radio station.
In 1996. PPBC purchased its first duopoly with KJMZ & KKRX both servicing Lawton/Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. KJMZ was turned to an Urban format and KKRX was turned to an Urban AC format a first of both formats for Lawton/Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
In 1999, PPBC purchased KGTO in Tulsa, providing the company a duopoly in Tulsa. KGTO was then turned to an Urban AC radio station.
In 2000, PPBC started a statewide television program, The Urban Outlet. This program features music videos and interviews dignitaries from throughout the state and nation as well as from national and local entertainers.
In 2001, the company purchased five additional radio stations — KKEN, KDDQ, KRPT, KPNS, and KXCA licensed to Duncan, Lawton/Ft. Sill, Comanche, and Anadarko, all in Oklahoma. Among these radio stations the formats are Classic Country, Classic Rock, News Talk, Sports Talk and Hot Country.
In 2003, PPBC built a 2,000 ft tower in Caddo County, Oklahoma to move KRPT FM into Oklahoma City making it a Full C in power, a 100,000 watts. KRPT FM call letters were changed to KVSP FM and Oklahoma City had its first Urban FM radio station in more than 15 years.
In 2005, PPBC purchased KACO and now operates it as a Classic Country radio station for Lawton/Ft. Sill and Anadarko, Oklahoma.
In 2007, PPBC made its first purchase of radio stations outside the state of Oklahoma. Five Augusta,Georgia / South Carolina radio stations were purchased – WFXA FM, WAKB FM, WTHB FM, WAEG FM and WTHB AM, effectively creating the Perry Broadcasting of Augusta division.
Devery Youngblood, CEO of Oklahoma Tomorrow, has a decades-long career as an education and business leader in Oklahoma which gives him unique insight on how higher education supports economic growth and why it must be protected.
He spent nine years with the Chickasaw Nation, where he worked for Gov. Bill Anoatubby on economic and community issues. He served four years as district director and senior advisor to U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook.
He was the founding president of Downtown OKC Inc., where he spent eight years leading economic recovery efforts after the Oklahoma City bombing and directing private-sector development associated with Oklahoma City’s visionary MAPS program.
Youngblood has twice been appointed by Gov. Mary Fallin to the Oklahoma City Community College Board of Regents, and he is a member of the University of Oklahoma College of Public Health Advisory Board.
He has a degree in organizational leadership from Southern Nazarene University and a master’s of public administration from the University of Central Oklahoma.