About OKC Metro
"OKC Metro" is a weekly, half-hour public affairs interview program.
Our program has received awards from the Oklahoma Business Circle for Arts Education, and the Oklahoma City Chapter of the United Nations Association. The program has received two EMMY nominations from the Heartland Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and in 2007, "OKC Metro" won an EMMY Award for set design.
From left: John McCarroll, OETA Executive Director; Debra Martin, "OKC Metro" Producer/Director; Jonathan Siler, Set Design; Gerry Bonds, Host; Ron Calloway, Set Design; Bill Thrash, Station Manager.
Gerry Bonds has been the host of "OKC Metro" since 1996. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in English/Education from City University of New York, and a Master's Degree from Western Connecticut State University. She served as news anchor in New Haven, Connecticut before coming to Oklahoma in 1984, as news anchor for KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. Bonds is a recipient of the prestigious Governor's Arts Award, as well as the Byliners Award from the American Women in Communications. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2008.
Debra Martin has been Producer/Director of "OKC Metro" since September 2005. Her broadcast career spans three decades, serving as a producer for KFOR (formerly KTVY) and KWTV in Oklahoma City, and at KSWO in Lawton. Martin received an EMMY nomination as Producer/Writer of "OETA and the Digital Revolution," the first high definition program produced in Oklahoma. In 2008, Martin was part of the team that earned an EMMY Award for OETA's outreach campaign, "Oklahoma World War II Stories."
"OKC Metro" guests have included:
Kristin Chenoweth, Bob Dotson, Ken Burns, Paula Kerger, Tom Selleck, and Judy Collins.
Political leaders: Governor and Mrs. Brad Henry, Lt. Governor Jari Askins, former Governor George Nigh, former Governor David Walters, Judge Robert Henry, Attorney General Drew Edmondson, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, Sen. Debbe Leftwich (D), and Rep. Doug Cox (R).
Renowed authors and artists: Rilla Askew, Tim Tingle, Kaylie Jones, Mike and Martha Larsen, Steve Gillon, Jeanne Rorex Bridges, and Kelly Haney.
Advocates for higher education: Chancellor Glen Johnson, OSU President Burns Hargis, OU President David Boren, OCU President Tom McDaniel, NEO President Don Betz, Langston University President JoAnn Haysbert, UCO President Roger Webb, Oklahoma City Community College President Paul Sechrist, and Platt College President Michael Pugliese.
Oklahoma sports legends: Sherri Coale, Eddie Sutton, and Sean O'Grady.