Author Archives: Media of Birmingham

In case you were wondering …

Posted on December 9, 2009 | Leave a comment

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Behind the cause: the Salvation Army Angel Tree program

Posted on December 7, 2009 | 2 comments

On Dec. 15, Media of Birmingham is volunteering to help the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. Find out more about the program …

The History of the Salvation Army Angel Tree

Along with the familiar Red Kettles, the Angel Tree program is one of The Salvation Army’s highest profile Christmas efforts. Angel Tree was created by The Salvation Army in 1979 by Majors Charles and Shirley White when they worked with a Lynchburg, Va., shopping mall to provide clothing and toys for children at Christmas time.

The program got its name because the Whites identified the wishes of local children by writing their gift needs on Hallmark greeting cards featuring pictures of angels and placing them on a Christmas tree at the mall. Thanks to the Whites, who were assigned by the Salvation Army to the Lynchburg area at the time, more than 700 children had a brighter Christmas that first year.

Three years later, when the Whites were transferred to Nashville, Angel Tree was launched during the 1982 Christmas season. WSM radio, which airs the Grand Ol’ Opry, came on board that year as the first Angel Tree co-sponsor in the United States.

Because of the on-air promotion on WSM in Nashville, as well as national publicity on CNN and the “Larry King Show,” news of Angel Tree spread across the country like wildfire. Since that time, the program has grown to include Angel Trees in throughout the Birmingham area.

In 2007, The Salvation Army partnered with Fox 6 Gifts for Kids, a program designed to give foster children in the Birmingham metro area Christmas gifts. With this partnership, 7,113 children were helped.

Melissa Fierstine at Hands on Birmingham says that the Salvation Army anticipates helping more than 10,000 Angels in Jefferson and Shelby Counties this year. The Angels register in September and October to receive assistance.

Sign up today!

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December events: Holiday Helpers and Holiday Jollies

Posted on December 3, 2009 | 1 comment

Two great events on Dec. 15!

Daytime event: Holiday Helpers, a volunteer project

  • Tuesday, Dec. 15
  • 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
  • Salvation Army warehouse, 3500 Sixth Ave. S., Southside [map]
  • Free, but you must RSVP (else, $10 late fee for charity)

Give back in December! For our daylong volunteer event, we’re working with Hands on Birmingham to help children in need. It’s the Salvation Army Angel Tree project. We will sort, arrange and bag gifts and toys for children in preparation for distribution.

Here’s how to help:

  1. Register for one or more 90-minute shifts to work on Dec. 15.
  2. Dress for the warehouse: You might get dirty or chilly. And comfortable shoes will feel great on concrete!
  3. Please show up 15 minutes early for your shift.

Note: You must RSVP for this event. Late registration is $10 plus service charge.

Please RSVP by Monday, Dec. 14, noon.

Evening event: Holiday Jollies, our monthly mixer

  • Tuesday, Dec. 15
  • 6-8 p.m.
  • Taziki’s Greek Fare, 301 18th St. S., Southside [map]
  • Free, but you must RSVP (else, $10 late fee for charity)

Don’t let the year end without wishing your MOB friends Merry Christmas. We’re celebrating at Taziki’s Greek Fare on Southside.

  • $1 domestic beers!
  • specials on appetizers!

Note: You must RSVP for this event. Late registration is $10 plus service charge.

Please RSVP by Monday, Dec. 14, noon.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Taziki’s Greek Fare and W Social Marketing.

Note: Ticket revenue goes to the Salvation Army, not Media of Birmingham.

Questions? Contact us or leave a comment.

Taziki's Greek Fare W Social Marketing

P.S. Please join our free mailing list for all the updates straight to your In box.

Want to sponsor a MOB event? It’s easy.

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American Advertising Federation holiday party and food drive

Posted on December 2, 2009 | Leave a comment

AAF Birmingham - AAF Holiday Party and Food DriveThe Birmingham chapter of the American Advertising Federation will have a holiday party and food drive next week.

  • When: 6-9 p.m. Dec. 10
  • Where: Billy Brown Photography, 2814 Linden Ave., Homewood [map]
  • Cost: Donation of canned goods and other non-perishable food items, or toiletries. Drinks and light hors d’oeuvres will be available.
  • RSVP: info@aafbirmingham.com

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In Mobile, Twitter + TV + billboard = suspension

Posted on December 1, 2009 | 2 comments

Twitter billboard for Local 15 in Mobile

Mobile NBC affiliate Local 15 (WPMI) has tweeted its way into trouble. A billboard showing off the station’s live headlines from its Twitter account provided this unfortunate juxtaposition, shown above in this photo captured by a driver.

The headline, “3 Accused of Gang Rape in Monroeville,” sits next to the smiling trio of anchors.

The station’s general manager and news director were suspended for a week over the incident.

Even more shocking? The billboard doesn’t actually show the station’s Twitter account name! It’s @LOCAL15NEWS, by the way.

Should the station have handed out suspensions over the incident? Will this ultimately hurt the news department’s credibility?

• • •

Read more media updates.

Have a news tip? Let us know!

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Intern – Birmingham Magazine

Posted on November 30, 2009 | 2 comments

Our pal Carla Jean sent us this posting for Birmingham Magazine:

Birmingham Magazine tells the stories of the people, places and events that make Birmingham unique.

The magazine offers an unpaid, part-time editorial internship each semester, offering college students the opportunity to build resumes and portfolios as they write front-of-book pieces and monthly departments, assist in developing online content and fact-check listings.

Hard work and talent are rewarded with great clips; the fall 2009 intern wrote a six-page feature story for the December 2009 issue.

Applicants must be available a minimum of 15 hours per week. Prior journalism experience is expected, whether with college publications or elsewhere. Applicants should also be comfortable with AP Style.

Send a cover letter, resume and three to five clips to cwhitley[at]bhammag.com.

• • •

Need a job? Check our job board.
Have a job to fill? Contact The MOB for your free listing.

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The laughs are on them

Posted on November 25, 2009 | 1 comment

For all of you, Happy Thanksgiving!

And a special treat for our journalist friends, some of whom will be working during the holiday weekend, a little humor to pass the time.

First up, the Twitter sensation, Fake AP Stylebook, @fakeapstylebook.

Also: “Fake AP Stylebook Twitter Feed Lands an Agent”

• • •

Next, check out Overheard in the Newsroom, available in Facebook and Twitter (@ohnewsroom) flavors, too.

• Columnist filling out journalism contest entry form: “Shit. I almost put ‘alcohol’ where it asks you your hobbies.”

• Reporter: “So wait… you essentially want me to add 100 words worth of nothing. OK.”

• “Oh, another furlough day. That’s like having sex and then finding out you have to pay for it.”

• Reporter: “Isn’t that strange?” Other Reporter: “If everybody did things that were perfectly normal, we would be out of a job.”

• Producer on how cold the newsroom is: “My urine is freezing inside of me.”

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Thanks to J and M Wedding Photography

Posted on November 24, 2009 | Leave a comment

Photographers still needed for upcoming events

Thank you to J & M Wedding Photography for volunteering to shoot our February and April events. We’ve added their banner to our sponsors on the sidebar at right.

We still need volunteer photographers for …

  • Dec. 15, 2009
  • Jan. 19, 2010
  • March 16, 2010

Keep in mind that while we typically meet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., a few of these meetings may end up as lunchtime or breakfast events.

Those interested
should fill out this form
by Dec. 5.

We’ll notify you of the final schedule. Also, as our thanks, we’ll post a link to your business on our site and in our event promotions.

If you have questions, please contact us.

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Alabama PRSA teleseminar on Dec. 3

Posted on November 23, 2009 | Leave a comment

How Sustainable Word-of-Mouth Marketing Can Help Boost Your Bottom Line

Geno Church and Spike Jones show how to identify those brand advocates already speaking out on your word-of-mouth program. Build an effective, meaningful movement for your brand to directly impact your bottom line.

  • Who: Alabama chapter of the Public Relations Society of America
  • When: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 3
  • Where: Innovation Depot, 1500 First Ave. N., downtown [map]
  • Cost: One can of food, to be donated to United Way Food Bank; food and refreshments provided, plus door prizes.
  • Also: 1.0 Continuing Education Credit
  • To reserve your spot: Register online or e-mail elise.hayles@luckie.com.
  • For more information: Visit the event site.

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Photos(!) from Video Made Easy

Posted on November 19, 2009 | 1 comment
Vodpod videos no longer available.

We had a fun time early in the morning learning about video for the Web at our November meeting at Shift Workspace. Thanks to Jeff Book for the photography.

Learn more in our Video Made Easy wrapup.

Andrea and Haley

André, Dennis, Andrea and Matt

Andrea, André, Dennis and Matt

Dennis and Matt

Networking before the workshop at Shift Workspace

Andrea and Wade on coffee/muffin duty

Wade, Andrea, Dennis and Matt checking on the wi-fi

Bryan, Andrea and Lisa

More networking

Dennis, André and Matt

André, Lisa and Emily

Matt, Andrea and Dennis

Matt

Wade, Matt and Dennis

Lisa, Cherie and Wade

Matt

Matt

Matt

Dennis

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