Um…
Posts Tagged ‘birmingham mail’
A glitch like this could prove troublesome!
January 7th, 2009Regionals given a lifeline. It’s up to them to use it
November 22nd, 2008Today the BBC Trust pulled an absolutely stinking howler. With its decision to prevent the BBC from improving local journalism, the only people who are suffering are viewers and listeners.
The money, the Trust said, should instead by used to “improve existing services”. Existing services like, I dunno, local news?
The Trust also concluded that an improved local video service — which would have seen ten clips of hyperlocal news posted online every day in every region — would have a “significant negative impact on commercial providers”.
Ok. There may be a point there. If the BBC are going to be doing great local video, then why would people go to the local newspaper for video as well? After all, the BBC’s national news videos mean that people have stopped visiting Sky News, or the Guardian, or the Telegraph, or the Times, or ITV, or… you get the picture.
Competition ups everyone’s game. If local newspapers offer something unique then people will still come.
The simple truth is this: local newspapers are scared stiff. The likes of Sly Bailey, so critical of the BBC’s plans, clearly has no idea what to do in the next year. In fact, I’ll shorten that to the next six months. She’s got a newspaper group that is flapping its wings about in panic, feathers flying out in all directions.
Pay freezes and job cuts don’t solve the problem. In fact, they put you in a worse position. How will you make any local video content without any bloody staff?
Here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to take a screenshot of 4 key local news websites. Over the next few months, I’ll monitor any changes. I’ll see if the local press are rising to the challenge. I’ll stick my neck out a bit here and predict nothing will happen. The designs will stay the same. The production values of multimedia will not improve, and more job cuts will be announced.
You know, in some ways I’m glad the BBC Trust has rejected the plans. Perhaps it’s too early. This way, when local newspapers do absolutely nothing to improve local news, they won’t be able to blame the big bad BBC. It will be their own incompentence. A reluctance to get face the times and sort out their shoddy product.
Screenshots after the jump. I’ll take a look at these after Christmas. Lets see what happens.
» Read more: Regionals given a lifeline. It’s up to them to use it
Adam Smith: I’ve changed my mind
November 6th, 2008I like him. I still think he’s a bit stupid, but I like the fact that, if he’s honest with himself, he knows he was a bit stupid too.
Best of luck to you, Adam.
EDIT: If you were wondering about the copy that got filed that fateful night, you can read it here. It has been removed from the Mail’s site, but thanks to the wonders of Google we can still read the cached version.
Birmingham Mail reporter: “I’m a bit of an idiot really”
November 6th, 2008One night a little while ago I sang an awful karaoke attempt of Heal the World and, in a less than sober state, duly lapped up the moment while being recorded on a friend’s mobile. I woke up dreading what could appear on Facebook the next day.
Today I feel decidedly less stupid. Imagine waking up and remembering doing this?
Oh dear. Here we are, then, this reporter, the Birmingham Mail’s Adam Smith, who is clearly (and the brummies might say) “off his tits”.
Journalists being drunk isn’t a new craze by any means (hurrah!), but what Adam’s done is a tad more serious. He’s noted the fact that he’s gone — on the Mail’s payroll, let’s not forget EDIT: It was a voluntary trip — to Miami to report the election. By his own admission, Miami wasn’t really an exciting place to be. Everyone knew it would end up going Democrat, as always.
He was there because it was “where the party is”. And, he admits, he can’t get enough of the women. He’s clearly doing a great job of attracting said women while he sits on a bench in the dead of night writing away on his laptop. Hardly the Diet Coke man.
But sadly for Adam, that’s not it. He openly delves into his journalistic technique of copying and pasting from the BBC website. He acknowledges the flaw of what he’s doing, saying that while history is being made, the B’ham Mail readers are merely getting his take on history and, well, he’s bladdered. He may have even started the first paragraph with something like “You know what readers, you’re my best mate. I bloody love you.”
He finishes on a high. He resigns. “Fuck you,” he says, flicking a v-sign at the camera. And in an instant, a journalism career is ruined.
Fool. His copy was, I’m guessing, originally here, but it has since been wisely removed.
[via Hold the Front Page]
EDIT: The journalist has made some comments via YouTube:
Right, the thing is, right I’ve just woke up. And seen this video, which I don’t really remember. I’ve been told to phone the Birmingham Mail because I am in trouble. I was off duty, I am on official holiday working at the South Beach Miami Barack Obama campaign where I had just done a 18-hour shift trying to make the world a better place. Please check every BBC News outlet and see if I have cut and pasted anything. I have not, it was a joke and should be taken in the spirit it was said.”
And then later:
Thanks for the kind comments, it has meant a lot to get the backing of so many people I respect. I’m currently in hiding at the Gansevoort South hotel in Miami tryin to come to terms what’s happened whilst sipping rum and coke at the pool. I guess I’m going to have to face the music when I get back.
Adam Smith, aka Steve Zacharanda
Technically, still a Birmingham Mail reporter.
But definitely editor and founder of Goggle-eye magazine and Cheeky Media.
Cheeky Media indeed!
