On reflection…

It was three years ago today that I waved bye-bye to full-time employment having decided to take voluntary redundancy.
Despite having the best job on The Birmingham Post – I was Chief Feature Writer for five years – the time felt right for a change.
I was about to get married, the paper itself was in a [...]

Core skills still needed in the brave new world

Trainee journalists lack core skills such as news gathering and writing when entering the workplace.
That is the headline grabbing conclusion of a new survey, with more than 70% of employers who took part in the research claiming increased focus on multimedia lessons as part of the curriculum means the basics are not being covered.
I really [...]

First Post, blue badges, flying saucers and woggles

A new week and there is a new era and a brave new world kicking off a new round-up:
The Birmingham Post has relaunched as a compact as part of the radical overhaul of newspaper publishing in the Midlands.
First impression last, so they say. And by and large first impressions of the smaller Post are positive [...]

Networking about networking about setting up a network

It has been an interesting week or so since I blogged about the possible creation of a new network of freelancing media types.
The idea was initially planted following the announcement of the radical shake-up at TrinityMirror’s titles in the Midlands and the prospect of 60+ experienced, skilled journalists – writers, subs, photographers and graphic artists [...]

Hunting, gathering and Birmingham’s journalistic talent

Over the last few weeks I’ve been focusing on various issues relating to journalism and the way I hunt and gather news these days.
It started with a new client asking me to help generate a fortnightly, subscription e-newsletter for the members of his organisation, developed with the TrinityMirror shake-up of its regional titles in the [...]

The last Post or trumpeting a brave new world?

There was talk of a radical relaunch of The Birmingham Post when I joined in 2001 and just about every year until I left in 2006.
Now the bold changes are actually about to happen [Edit - my second take on the plans is here].
And they are certainly radical, impacting across all TrinityMirror’s titles in the Midlands.
The [...]

Writers’ block, the business of sport and telling stories

I didn’t really miss too much on my 10-day break – apart from war in the Caucuses, the fastest jogger on Earth and the tale of two Birminghams.
So a short catch up.
Fellow WMBN member DJ Francis gives his views on the future of journalism, suggesting the confusion and turmoil the industry is finding itself wrapped [...]

The old, the new and the different

There’s appears to have been a flurry of blogging activity in recent weeks regarding the collision of three apparently different worlds – blogging, journalism and PR.
As I’m trying to inhabit all three worlds at the same time, it has proved an interesting and illuminating time.
I’ll admit my head has been sent spinning by some of [...]

An Olympic boycott, bedsheets, journalism and toppled trucks

It has been a reading time over the last couple of days – plus I played hooky with Rachel yesterday to go to the cinema and took my bike for a service this morning, so I’m catching up.
But a few things around and about that have caught my eye.
A good article by Steven Wells on [...]

Writing for fun

Words is my life.
Its official, I’ve even got the t-shirt to prove it thanks to Rachel.
I love reading them, I enjoy writing them even more.
Blogs are brilliant as I get exposed to so many words, ideas, styles, prejudices and plenty of inspiration whenever I want it. Best of all, these words are pinging at me from [...]