What really happened to Joey Kennedy at the Birmingham News

[Neutral Corner]

Some of you know that Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Joey Kennedy was fired by Alabama Media Group, who bought out the Birmingham News and replaced it with the dreck that is al.com. He has finally written about the circumstances of his being let go and mourns the death of journalism in Birmingham.

http://b-metro.com/spotlight/25850/

 

[LongTimeListener]

It would have been better if he had included the circumstances of his being let go.

 

[Alma]

It would have been better if he had included the circumstances of his being let go.

He did. That's obvious.

Sad stuff. Good stuff.

 

[LongTimeListener]

He said someone threatened to post inaccurate information on social media and he in return threatened to post accurate information.

Or maybe, as in my case, you had a source who was going to put out a different and inaccurate view of a subject on social media, and you might “threaten” to tell the real story if she did so.

I know nothing of the story in question, nor of whose information is accurate and inaccurate. I also don't know why the "real story" would be told only in retaliation and not as part of the normal news operation.

I guess you had to be there, and I wasn't.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Joey was and is a HUGE animal rights advocate.

http://www.alanimals.com/wp/author/joey/

This is apparently the story that got him in trouble:

GBHS takes over animal control for Jefferson County from BJC, but transition is a bit bumpy

(Though I don't doubt the REAL reason he was cut loose was that he was an older guy making a lot of money).

 

[dixiehack]

For his last several months, maybe close to a year, the ONLY stories he wrote were about animals. Some hard-hitting stuff, a lot of cute pet/famous critters/pig-with-three-ears type filler. It was a glaring waste of talent, to the point he was commonly nicknamed Pet Detective. It was never clear whether he chose that beat or whether he was exiled, but I have my suspicion.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Hmmm .....
This gave me pause. ....

I am not objective and have never pretended to be so. I am personally involved in the issues I write about. And I will “threaten” a source with what I know, if that source is not going to cooperate with my journalism. In days past, that was good journalism. In today’s world, it’s a reason to fire an exemplary employee who is doing his job in an exemplary way.

 

[JohnHammond]

Did Joey also demand tenure for first-year UAB assistant professors of American Studies? Would go along great with that steaming pile about "journalism, my way."

 

[Flip Wilson]

A team is an "it," not a "they." You'd think a journalist good enough to win the Pulitzer would know that.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Hmmm .....
This gave me pause. ....

No wonder they fired his ass.

 

[da man]

Hmmm .....
This gave me pause. ....

Yeah, I don't think declaring your lack of objectivity and using information you've uncovered as a threat against sources is what I'd call doing your job in an exemplary way.

And I don't think that was considered good journalism in days past -- unless he's talking about, say, the 1890s.

 

[Ace]

Yeah, I don't think declaring your lack of objectivity and using information you've uncovered as a threat against sources is what I'd call doing your job in an exemplary way.

And I don't think that was considered good journalism in days past -- unless he's talking about, say, the 1890s.

In reality, we all lack objectivity to some degree, but try to remain objective in our reporting.

As for threatening sources, what does that mean? If I am trying to get a quote from an AD and he won't talk, I am definitely going to say that we are going to run a story on the coach being accused of sex with a dead deer and would like to get his side in the story.

What "threats" would you make beyond that?

 

[da man]

In reality, we all lack objectivity to some degree, but try to remain objective in our reporting.

As for threatening sources, what does that mean? If I am trying to get a quote from an AD and he won't talk, I am definitely going to say that we are going to run a story on the coach being accused of sex with a dead deer and would like to get his side in the story.

What "threats" would you make beyond that?

That's not a threat. You were going to run the story anyway. You tell the source you're going to do it with him or without him, so he might as well talk to you.

This -- Or maybe, as in my case, you had a source who was going to put out a different and inaccurate view of a subject on social media, and you might “threaten” to tell the real story if she did so -- sounds like he's not writing the story unless the source doesn't do what he says.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

In reality, we all lack objectivity to some degree, but try to remain objective in our reporting.

As for threatening sources, what does that mean? If I am trying to get a quote from an AD and he won't talk, I am definitely going to say that we are going to run a story on the coach being accused of sex with a dead deer and would like to get his side in the story.

What "threats" would you make beyond that?

Sure.
But telling folks you aren't objective and never pretended be? Uh ... No. That makes you partisan and untrustworthy as a reporter.

 

[JohnHammond]

You don't want to be the person at the top end of the pay scale when cuts are going to happen, and you definitely don't want to be the unhinged person making more money than most.

 

[Fredrick]

You don't want to be the person at the top end of the pay scale when cuts are going to happen, and you definitely don't want to be the unhinged person making more money than most.

Exactly. They obviously wanted to get rid of him and did. He gets it. The "threatening" stuff is kind of unclear and bizarre. Newspaper higher ups decided that bylines don't matter, the reporter/columnist does not matter, the subject matters. They don't care who is covering Birmingham just that Birmingham is covered just well enough to put a paper out every day. They'll get plenty of low paid people to fill their internet site with crap every day.

 

[dixiehack]

They don't care who is covering Birmingham just that Birmingham is covered just well enough to put a paper out every three out of seven days.

Fixed