75 Years On News On 6: Lisa Jones

Many people have come and gone over the past 75 years of News On 6.

For one former News on 6 anchor, her time here was more than a stop along the way to something bigger.

On Christmas Eve, we look at the deep community connection of "hometown anchor" Lisa Jones.

KOTV's 75th Anniversary

When Lisa Jones joined News On 6 in 1992, it was the realization of a lifelong dream.

"I always wanted to do that kind of journalism," she said, reflecting on the influence of local news legends Clayton Vaughn and Glenda Silvey during her childhood in Collinsville.

Lisa fondly recalls watching the news with her grandfather, who was particularly impressed with Vaughn. After working in Fort Smith and Oklahoma City, Lisa came home to anchor alongside the man her grandfather admired.

"It was a little bit intimidating," she admitted. "I always wanted to work with him... Clayton taught us a whole lot of things. They were not shows—they were broadcasts."

Lisa’s career at News On 6 took her far beyond Tulsa. She traveled to Peru, Washington, D.C., and other destinations, always searching for connections to Oklahoma.

She also covered pivotal moments, including the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing. Lisa made several trips to Denver for Timothy McVeigh’s trial, describing the moment the station broke the news of his guilty verdict.

"Clayton was on the air when that happened, and it was incredible the way it all went down," she recalled. "Clayton really said that was his best moment in television."

Lisa's mother shared her pride in her daughter's career, though she kept her grounded.

"She loved that I was here and that she got to watch me, but she never let you get too big for your britches," Lisa said.

What began as a short-term stop turned into a seven-year stint.

"The people here made me feel welcome... my hometown of Collinsville was close, my family was here, and so I ended up staying longer than I had planned," Lisa said.

Although Lisa left News On 6 in 1999, she stayed in Tulsa, living with her husband of over 20 years and near her mother, now 90 and fiercely independent.

These days, Lisa's travels are for pleasure, but Tulsa remains a constant reminder of her journalism career.

"I'll say, 'I did a story there, I did a story there,' and it just always comes to mind how many stories I've done," Lisa said. "They're memorable, and all the people that I've met—I still stay in touch with a lot of them."