Prep leader/writer, Birmingham News

Wick's right.

I'm not ripping Jeff. If MU says he's a good dude, then I'm going to believe him. But there were two qualified people in-house and B'ham makes an outside hire? What does that say to the rest of the newsroom? Two people who knew the lay of the land and management makes an outside hire? What does that do for morale?

 

I don't know any of the candidates involved or the hire, but sometimes staffs -- especially ones that have been intact for long periods of time -- need someone new to come in and shake things up. Ron Ingram was there for a long time and I'm guessing the in-house candidates could pick things up right where he left off. Maybe that's not what management wants.

Several years ago I had a reporter interviewing for a job at another paper and when my ME found out, his comment was 'Good, this will give us a chance to do some things with that job we haven't gotten from ------- in the past.' My thought was, you're kidding me, he's our best enterprise guy, most versatile and has more bylines than anyone at the paper.

The Birmingham News is one that I've viewed as steady, but misses out on being very, very good at times. With its coverage of Auburn and Alabama (and even UAB) the opportunity to do some really good things is there. Plus, I think Scarbinsky is one of the best.

I know it sucks for the on-staff people overlooked, but maybe it wasn't that they were overlooked. Maybe Jeff is simply the better fit for the position.

 

When you have extremely qualified staffers on board and they get passed over, it's a slap in the face for the good work they have been doing.
Jeff will be a great hire, I'm sure of that. the news wasn't going to go wrong with any of the candidates. In this instance, however, i'm not sure it was necessary for the News to go outside.

 

A lyric from a certain Joni Mitchell song about not knowing what you've got til its gone comes to mind here.

Congratulations to Jeff, I'm sure he'll do a good job.

 

Honestly, I find this stunning. I thought for sure one of the in-house guys would get the job. I'm sure this guy will be a great fit, but passing over two qualified in-house candidates doesn't exactly create a comfortable work environment. More than likely the new guy will depend on the in-house folks to help him make the transition as smooth as possible. If that's not a slap in the face, then I don't know what is.

 

So there's an opening in Augusta?

 

Not knowing the particulars here, it's possible that the staffers wouldn't have made the transition to a leadership position as easily as someone from the outside. I've been promoted from within and brought in from outside for management jobs, and situations have dictated those choices. Morale is good when the department runs well, not just when someone who's been there is moved up.

 

From what I understand, the internal folk had been doing the job quite ably. Yes, it's different when you only have an interim officially or unofficially part of your title, but it's still a good trial period.

 

Agree with the notion that bringing in an outside hire creates a fresh look on everything. In-house promotions tend to keep it close to the vest, and don't want to rock the boat by making a boatload of changes. A new guy doesn't care, and will do what he can to make the section better.

 

Well, those pissed off in-housers can find hope elsewhere, like, down the street at the CNHI headquarters. They're looking for partners in suicide missions.

 

actually, sometimes in-house folks have good ideas but have never been able to implement them because the higher-ups don't listen.
just saying.

 

Just to be clear, there were no "staffers" up for this job -- just stringers who do some nice work for The News. And they have been very well compensated for it. They probably make more per month as stringers (minus the benefits) than a lot of full-time folks who post here. No one got "passed over" -- they interviewed and didn't get the job. The "in-house" talk has been misleading. The News has promoted from within many times, which I can personally attest to.