12 days left at Printing House Street
It's creeping up on us!
Yep, a few days off at the tale end of last week and suddenly it's November. November 3 to be precise... and my last day here will be November 14.
Arrgghhh!
No packing, no clearing, no real thought on what to do first or next re. the actual move.
There's empty boxes awaiting me outside the office. And various bags for the contents of drawers. And a skip pending for the rubbish that will go nowhere but the dump (majority of office content).
But oh for the time to do it or think it. For at the same time as the upcoming move, we're trialling the new 'one newsroom' approach.
Separately, we're upskilling new desk-heads on both desking and placing of content on pages via our new ContentWatch computer system.
And, somewhere in the midst of this 'change, change. change' scenario there is a definite need to think content, plan the paper, maintain quality.
I think the move will, ultimately, just happen. Apart from packing the appropriate single box and bag, there ain't much time left for anything else.
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Steve Dyson - Blog from the Editor on recent issues and events.
Actually some of this sounds well planned. The backbench making instant decision will certainly be a step up from the endless, inane conferences which bog down a lot of traditional newspapers. I'm sure the Fort will be grand - new offices always are - although it'll be interesting to see if it's kept 'box fresh'. Knowing newspaper groups (and hacks) I doubt it. Remains to be seen how your new city centre 'pod' will operate but the principle's right. Seems to be a tacit admission that newspapers belong in a city centre, even if management won't pay the extra tuppence ha'penny a year to base them there. The question I'm really hoping you'll answer is - what are you going to do less of/do less well now you've slashed the staffing numbers.
Mr Osato - think the fact that the Fort is a leased building should ensure its upkeep slightly better than the current black hole.
As for the central office, I think not having a front counter presence on a Saturday was all well and fine when BPM was on the outskirts, but the new office looked a bit daft with huge footfall passing it on Saturday and all the lights off.
Mr Osato: I'm pleased we're making sense. Re. 'what are we going to do less of'... less needless duplication (though when we need two on a job we will plan this, ie: both tonight's football matches). Linked to this will be, as you hint, less replication of content planning now we've adopted a one-newsroom approach. Plus less photography of exteriors/vox pop by traditional photographers... we're equipping reporting staff for this, releasing the remaining expert photographers for more expert jobs. And generally, fewer silos all round, more sharing of resource and content where it makes sense.
RH: Interesting comment re. Saturday footfall. One for me to look into. Thanks.
I see there's an ambassador for your paper in Miami at the moment.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Nuff said.
Hmm. Having now viewed this link and video, I must say that this was not a very wise interview for AS to have given. He hardly shows himself in a very good light. I can only assume that his comments were the results of inebriation. Needless to say I will be looking into this. Therefore there can be no further comment from me on what is now an internal matter
How can it be an internal matter , when it's plastered all over youtube ?
Steve, go easy eh mate? You know what Smudger's like and he meant no harm. The evils of youtube and the digital age you're all meant to be embracing eh?
drillbit's dreaming a bit, no? while no fan, got a feeling the big lad'll be dysonofdockgreen over this one and, d'you know, for once he'll be right to stick the boot in. laugh's a laugh but this was not. knocking the company has a place in my book, but if you read the posts on the www you'll see AS has ended up knockin the lot of us at bhammail, whether we're off or not. he meant no harm, some say, but he's caused loads. made us feel stupid. he's the one facing the results and this time it's mad if trinity let him off.
An article on this video was in "The Times" today
and in addition was covered in the paper review on BBC Breakfast.
It appears that this story still has "legs".
Hi Steve
Ignoring Adam for a mo - was just wondering how the Mail/Post/Merc are going to cover courts as I hear the great Ross McCarthy has taken redundancy. This may be idle rumour - but if not (and very sad if so as am a big fan) what are the plans to keep court cover strong? Interested to hear your thoughts.
Adam Smith currently has close on 300,000 viewers, you have around 80,000 readers - falling all the time - and you sack him, along with around 60 others!
You wouldn't know a real journalist if one bit you on the your voluminous ass (and one day one might!)
Resign!! For God's sake, resign!!!!!
FV: fyi, Ross McCarthy is still employed in courts and has no intention of considering VR.
Mr Dyson,
As an ex-pat from Birmingham, Living in the USA, after watching the you-tube clip of Adam Smith, plagiarizing the BBC, and doing an interview while being totally drunk.
You should be ashamed that he works for your newspaper, he deserves to be fired immediately.
It makes me ashamed to say that I'm from the same city as this guy.
DISGUSTING.......this is now headlines on foxnews.com in the USA hope you are PROUD.
Paul Jones
Summerville, USA
Re your reporter Adam Smith. I have just watched this guy on YouTube. He seems an OK sort of guy who has just had a bit too much to drink. He was entertaining. Please dont sack him.
Dave Brown from Crewe
Kerrville, Texas, USA
Please give Adam Smith (aka Steve Zacharanda) a raise for his honest reporting from Miami on our transformational presidential election. Truly, I am impressed by his honesty and his willingness to join into the celebratory mindset in the US.
I had many friends who also celebrated excessively. And then I had African-American friends who wept that night -- wishing a parent or grandparent was here to witness this election -- and said the next day that they could hold their heads up proudly in church this Sunday.
You have a good reporter in this man. Don't punish him for sharing in the joy of a day of utter change for our tragic society.
Thank you to the various folk who have contacted us re. Adam Smith's unexpected and controversial appearance on You Tube videos. Especially welcome are correspondents from the USA.
I would like to clarify a few details:
1/ Adam Smith has worked as a district reporter for the Birmingham Mail for around two years.
2/ In August this year, Adam applied for voluntary redundancy along with other journalists as part of restructuring across the Midlands. These redundancies were subject to a three-month consultation period.
3/ Adam's application was accepted in principle more than a month ago, and he was due to leave the company's employment at the end of the consultation period, on November 18.
4/ Adam was on a personal holiday in Miami last week. He did file some colour pieces on a voluntary basis in the run up to the US Presidential election, and some were used. As it happened, none that he sent following Obama's election victory were needed and therefore were not used. There was no company knowledge of any You Tube videos until they were broadcast.
5/ The Birmingham Mail, along with its sister newspaper titles and websites in BPM Media (Midlands), and in line with parent company Trinity Mirror Plc, will not tolerate plagiarism of any kind. That said, we are not aware of any instances where this has taken place. Any such claims would, of course, be investigated.
I'm sure people will appreciate that for the company, any other details are currently internal matters and, therefore, it really would be wrong to comment at this stage.
Steve Dyson
Editor, Birmingham Mail
Never mind whether Adam Smith survives or not, can anyone tell me how the Birmingham Post has survived and has merited another relaunch? Perhaps Mr Smith should take it over from the Miami branch office?
brilliant - what a way to sign your own P45. there's no way in the world i can write when drunk!!
an ill-advised video, but anyone can be drunk... telling people, sorry... 'readers' you're cutting and pasting from the bbc website is just sheer genius!!
nothing like dirtying your bib in public!
Reg Pither and the teeline king: I really can't see how this shows this guy is a "real journalist" or a "genius".
The only reason it has so many hits seems to be because it was written about on htfp, press gazette and national papers as if he had actually resigned on youtube, when in fact we learn he had given in his voluntary redundancy a month ago and his "I resign" remark was clearly a drunken joke at the end of an ill-advised video (which was mostly pretty boring in my opinion). It was like the "slurring" Kerry Katona video, which was hyped up beyond belief, making the actual footage seem pretty tame.
Without disputing that Adam Smith/Steve Zacharanda is good at his job or that he is a nice guy, I really don't think this video is evidence of his good work or good character.