Pravda, err I mean the Auburn-Birmingham News announced a mandatory furlough plan for its employees. The newspaper reported the development on its online website al.com. According to the announcement, the “mandatory one-week furlough” is “for full-time workers.” This is a cost-cutting measure, the publisher said.
According to the newspaper’s Auburn fan publisher said, “We have to face a new economic reality. We must be entrepreneurial, nimble and creative.”
The paper could also try being less pro-Auburn. You could do this through actual investigative reporting of the massive NCAA investigation into Auburn’s recruiting practices. Try not getting scooped by the New York Times, ESPN, Fox Sports and other outlets when there is negative news about Auburn.
If you want a real exercise compare the professionalism on display in other parts of the newspaper with the standards used in the sports page.
For Alabama fans, this should be viewed as an opportunity. If you are still reading the Birmingham News, then you should stop doing so. Send Newhouse and Advance a message about its inept sports coverage by voting with your wallet.
It is sad for the hard-working people at the newspaper, but there is no other way to send a message to the inept Advance management.
24 thoughts on “Birmingham News in crisis”
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Exactly. I really think their pro-Auburn stance is the reason why many people have canceled their subscriptions. I take credit for rallying a lot of Alabama fans to cancel their full subscriptions, and I will keep doing so until the State’s biggest newspaper start hiring real journalists and report the news Alabamians want to hear. It’s their choice
Sorry guys, but I just don’t see any real bias toward AU.
IAnd ‘m a huge Bama fan.
And I’m also a journalist.
Besides, a whole lotta barners bitch about the News being pro-Bama too.
I will say this though.
You can usually find out what’s going on with the Tide a lot quicker on the blogs and on other paper’s web sites.
Example: http://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1246783
To me, the biggest sin of the News (al.com) is just laziness, pure and simple.
Well, that’s what I get for trying to edit the damn post on a blackberry without my glasses.
Sorry Rogue, but if you can’t see the bias of beat coverage between Charles Goldberg’s protective coverage of Auburn and Don Kausler’s (and the guy he replaced, Ian Rappaport), not to mention Scarbinsky’s opting to ignore the billowing smoke in Auburn to pursue a sliver of a story in Tuscaloosa, you need your glasses for more than just editing on here using your blackberry.
I’ve thought the beat coverage for Alabama has been professional. You get some bad news and a few hard questions.
The AU beat guys do nothing like that and haven’t done anything like that in years. Newhouse has allowed people like Phillip Marshall, now at an Auburn fan website, and others to support Auburn instead of reporting on it and its systemic cheating….Or as Frank Deford put it, the “serial cheats” at Auburn.
The only real bias at the News is Kevin Scarbinsky and that’s undeniable. I think that goes back to the fact that he started as an Auburn beat reporter and is close to a lot of people down there, but it’s no excuse really.
The real sin of the News is the absolute shoddy reporting. Sure they’ve missed the entire AU story but that’s just sheer incompetence more than bias – with the exception of Scarbinsky who is unquestionably a knee-jerk Auburn reporter just a shade removed from Philip Marshall territory..
Have to disagree. The only way you miss the Auburn story is if you purposely position your back to it.
If they go out of business can we then get the Tuscaloosa News to start home delivery here in Birmingham?
I cancelled mine also. Just got tired of the negative reporting toward Bama and Saban and the relentless Auburn coverage. It is obvious Scarby is slanted and the paper has the Aubbie influence. Even when a prominant public news figure refernces that Auburn is being investiaged ….. what does Scaby write!!! Bama doing something questionable. That seems to be the Auburn marching orders…. deflect defer and put at Bama as the problem to all their worries. Remember what Bowden said back in the 80s!! I like good positive coverage and the paper just doesn’t give it. Seems like al.com is doing the same thing. Everytime i log on the sports headlines is Auburn!!! I will spend my money in other ways.
Just my two cents.
JM
The fact that Kevin Scarbinsky drove to T-town to cover the Menswear story while ignoring the Auburn scandal tells you all you need to know. On top of that, the News hired aubie cheerleader Charles Goldberg for the auburn beat, while hiring Don Kausler to cover Alabama. Kausler regularly criticizes The U of A. And like Cap says, the News Publisher is a big aubie. Still need more convincing? Take a look at the scoreboard at Jordan-Hare stadium to see the Birmingham News logo.
Where have you gone Clyde Bolton? Our nation turns it’s lonely eyes to you.Growing up Auburn fans read the Montgomery Advertiser/Advertiser Journal. If you wanted Bama news you read the B’ Ham News.It just breaks my heart.
I don’t know how many have noticed the glaring bias on the al.com iPhone app. The topic header actually contains two “Auburn Football” headings an NO “Alabama Football” heading, unlike the web version which gets it right. What a joke al.com has become! And these papers wonder why a “furlough” is necessary?
Told you so.
(many times)
You did.
Hallelujah!!! I was flipping through the al.com app recently and for 2 Bama posts, there was 8 barner posts. The two Bama posts were the Menswear nonsense and ol Scabby wondering why no one gives a rip about his beloved defending BCS* Champs…… irrelevance, maybe?
Unfortunate, but I now live out of state, and al.com is one of the sources I use to find bama info, there are others, especially during the tornado coverage, scarbinsky is biased, they’d do well to hire an additional bama reporter, u can’t cut your way to prosperity, you have to have a good product
Roll tide
I suggest you find your info here, at tiderinsider.com or tidesports.com.
Yes, all the above is true, ol Kevin is just a Finebaume wannbe, and I understand that Chizic is getting a ESPN gig, nothing like preparing for the future eh!! RTR
If we are serial cheats where is the letter of inquiry? Accept your loss to a better team who kicked Hate Smurfs butt. We won the NC on the field Losers, get used to it. By the way your playas are leaving or getting hurt in droves, I think that #2 ranking will be gone by week 4.
Nicket,
explain how a 1-point victory over a 3-loss team is a butt kicking? Please, i’m dying to hear it! Plus, explain how you can say you won it on the field when one guy did all the work and it will soon be proven Auburn bought him. My source tells me the LOI is coming, so grab your butt cheeks
Auburn will be out of the top 25 by week 4. But don’t worry, Saban has had Bama in the hunt every year. Enjoy the memories of your fluke season, you won’t be repeating it this year. Bama still has more depth at running back (and every other position) than Auburn, so that is pretty funny smack talk coming from you. And Ass Whooping Day 11-26 will be here before you know it, but you won’t be here by then.
BW,
Have you been living in a cave at Ttown after the tornado? Cause we are kicking your ass in recruiting buster. We will see how your stringbean QB holds up with one RB and a wanna be RB linebacker who I guarantee will be fumbling. He he. I can’t wait to watch AR ruin all of the Mullets dreams this year. Mullet wives better invest in a mouth piece and mullet dogs better scoot under the trailer after that game.
I can practically hear you hyperventilating as you type. You are celebrating next years recruiting class in August? You are pretty funny. Bama is doing fine in recruiting, so don’t worry about that. You think Bama is down to 1 RB, who is going to fumble all the time, and McCarron or Sims are just hacks with no talent. Man, you are just being dumb.
Bama still has more quality depth at running back than Auburn does. A true freshman who hasn’t played a down got hurt, and you think Bama is in trouble now.
Auburn has one good recruiting class enrolled, and another one just getting there. Bama has four good recruiting classes, plenty of depth, and more 4 and 5 star players on this years team than they ever had before. Thats the truth. I wouldn’t be surprised if Auburn gets shut out a few times this season with the inexperience they have this year. You won’t be sneaking up on anyone, and you have the tough schedule this year. But you keep on dreaming, and hating. Bama is going to steamroll Auburn this season. Hide and watch.
RC,
It ripped out your narcissisim, condescending smart mullet mouth. One night this year it didn’t matter if you had won 16 billion NC cause your were losers on the field and we won the NC. That is why it stung so much. All the mullets couldn’t brag for one time in their life.