Birmingham Post - News Blog

Power 50 long list: which sectors dominate?

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:01:34 +0000

This morning I and two fellow-conspirators set to work creating the long list for the judging of the 2009 Birmingham Post / Birmingham Future Power 50 list. To find out more about this initiative, go here.
Being a stats junkie, I thought it would be interesting to see what the balance is between different sectors: public / private, education vs arts etc.
This is what we've found so far, but please bear in mind the long list isn't completed until tonight (Monday June 22).

Arts & Culture 17
Business 41
Media 10
Public Sector 23
Science & Tech 2
Sport 3
Third Sector 6
Academia 7

Grand Total 109

The limited life expectancy of the politican

Sun, 03 May 2009 15:33:40 +0000

When I returned to Birmingham three years ago, I couldn't believe what I saw.

No, it wasn't the shiny new city centre that amazed me, but the occupants of the seats of power. When I'd last paid my council tax to the city, it was well into the long, seemingly unstoppable reign of the Labour party, with the venerable Dick Knowles entering his eighth year in power.

Swine Flu policy for journalists

Fri, 01 May 2009 16:48:32 +0000

For anyone who is interested, or who may find it useful, here's the policy we issued to all BPM Media journalists today.

Dear all,

The current pandemic is clearly a major story that our readers expect us to cover comprehensively.

However, it is also the duty of all of us - managers and staff - to cover it in a way which minimizes as far as possible all the risks to ourselves and our colleagues. For this reason, the editors have agreed the following policy that must be followed by all editorial staff without exception. Failure to observe the policy will result in disciplinary action.

1. No journalist will visit a person who has contracted or is suspected of contracting the virus. This applies also to the victim's family and neighbours. All contact in such cases should be via phone and email.

2. If an unrelated assignment means a journalist has to go anywhere near an actual or suspected swine flu case (ie within one mile), then an individual risk assessment must be carried out.

3. If as the news agenda moves on, it is thought that it may be necessary to send a journalist to a location where swine flu is suspected, then such an assignment can only go ahead after a specific risk assessment is carried out and approved by the appropriate editor (ie in Birmingham, Marc Reeves or Steve Dyson). It is likely the risk assessment will consider measures such as face masks, interview protocols and other hygiene precautions. Risk assessment forms are available from myself, Steve and Debbie Hemming.

4. We will review this policy regularly over the coming days, and update if necessary as the situation develops.

5. Finally, if you have any concerns or questions relating to this note, please don't hesitate to speak to your manager, your editor, or a member of the HR team.

Regards,

Marc

Tata says Government inaction will cause more cuts at JLR

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:55:50 +0000

This is the raw copy of my second piece filed from Mumbai today, Tuesday March 24. It's here because Birminghampost.net is currently experiencing technical problems.

The consequences of continued government inaction over Jaguar Land Rover were spelled out by Tata chairman Ratan Tata in his interview with the Birmingham Post.

When Tata bought Jaguar Land Rover exactly one year ago tomorrow, crucial to its wooing of the UK government and its new workforce was the promise to maintain the company's three main UK plants.

Tata boss slams UK Government - Post exclusive

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:55:50 +0000

This is my raw copy filed to the Birmingham Post from India today, Tuesday, March 24. It can't be published on the Post's website because it's broken. Normal service will be resumed soon.

An exasperated Ratan Tata, boss of the multi-billion Indian giant that owns Jaguar Land Rover, has broken his silence in the UK media to accuse the government of failing to value the manufacturing sector.

He also highlighted the potential cost to the company and its employees if the government does not come forward with the requested loan guarantees. He raised the prospect of JLR's development projects being wound down, halting progress on a new sports roadster and leading to layoffs amongst development staff.

The Tata Nano: a vehicle for change

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:11:16 +0000

IN the nineties sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, one of Sanjeev Bhaskar's recurring characters would claim anything innovative, famous or succesful came from India - even if the subject at hand was William Shakespeare or Superman.

Can the world's cheapest car help the UK's luxury auto sector?

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:53:22 +0000

It seems an odd connection at first.
A heap of steel wrapped around a 625cc engine that constitutes a car with a top speed of 65mph is about as far away on the auto food chain as it's possible to get from the sleek and supercharged Jaguar XK.

A week's a long time at the Birmingham Post

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:07:47 +0000

When I sat down to write this blog, I wasn't sure where to start if was going to do justice to the journey the Post has embarked on this week.
Then, as I chomped on a sandwich at my desk in the newsroom, I realised all I had to do was describe a 15 minute segment of my day, and you'd get a pretty good idea of what I want to say.

Vote of confidence in the new Birmingham Post

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:11:24 +0000

Over the years, I've often sat in on focus groups when a newspaper I'm associated with carries out some market research, usually because it's being relaunched, redesigned or otherwise pepped-up.

ICC hall 'too small for party conferences'

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:25:00 +0000

I bumped into veteran Sky TV political commentator Adam Boulton at the Tory party conference at the ICC and asked him what he thought of birmingham as a conference venue.
Seems he love the city and the fringe 'vibe', but is less than enthusiastic about the auditorium. Too small, in his view, and stifling the mood of the event.
Here's what he said in full:

Five weeks and counting to the relaunch of The Birmingham Post

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:37:58 +0000

This is a mock-up of what the Post's new M-site may look like - if we manage to get the dev work, programming and processes set up in time to coincide with the launch of the new compact paper on October 20.

There's a lot to update you on since my last detailed post, so I'll try to be brief. Here goes:

Inside Fort Dunlop, new HQ of the Post & Mail

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:57:50 +0000

Straight to the point: here's a video I shot inside the new offices of the Post & Mail (soon to be renamed BPM Media) the other day at Fort Dunlop.

This is where all departments - editorial, advertising, pre-press, accounts etc - will be housed by the end of November. The mood in our current home in Weaman Street in the city centre is pretty grim at the moment, given the re-organisation and editorial job losses we recently announced - so to be honest it was good to get out for a couple of hours for a preview of what the future will look like.

Hot Dippity doo! Now what?

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:33:33 +0000

We used a Dippity timeline for the first time this week, thanks to my colleague Tom Scotney.
Following a worrying number of shootings and stabbings, Tom used this web service to tell the story visually in the form of a timeline, which somehow made the stark facts evn more chilling, as it displays the names and images of the victims.

The news goes on

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:51:47 +0000

I've been cancelling appointments left right and centre over the past few weeks as I worked with the other editors to put together our plans for the changes we announced last week.
We simply didn't have the time to attend the outside meetings and network events that are an essential part of any editor's life. Despite the easy jokes about free lunches, I think it's vital that we're out meeting readers and advertisers - and are seen to be doing so.

New 'platforms' in the relaunched Birmingham Post

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:18:00 +0000

With all the understandable reaction to Trinity Mirror's announcements of job cuts and title closures last week, I have been somewhat distracted from the job of preparing for the relaunch of The Birmingham Post in October.