Category Archives: In the news

WERC, CBS 42 win six ABBYs each from Alabama Broadcasters Association

Posted on April 1, 2010 by | Leave a comment

alabama broadcasters associationThe Alabama Broadcasters Association handed out its Best in Broadcasting Awards, or ABBYs. WERC (960 AM, 105.5 FM) and CBS 42 (WIAT) won six awards each at the fourth annual ceremony held on March 20.

Birmingham winners in bold.

Television

  • Judges Merit Award for Public Service Announcement: “Do Dah Day 2009,” WBRC
  • Public Service Announcement: “T-Town Paws,” WVUA
  • Promotion: “Best Things About Home,” WBMA
  • Commercial: “Father’s Day,” WBMA
  • Website: fox10tv.com, WALA
  • Local Programming: “Poison in the Air,” WIAT
  • Judges Merit Award for Reporter: Jonathan Hardison, WBRC
  • Reporter: Phillip Ohnemus, WIAT
  • Judges Merit Award for Sports Anchor: Adam Bagni, WNCF
  • Sports Anchor: Rick Karle, WBRC
  • Weather Anchor: James Spann, WBMA
  • News Anchor: Bob Grip, WALA
  • News Series: “Justice for Bridget,” WVUA
  • Judges Merit Award for Feature or Franchise: “Staying Above Water,” WIAT
  • Feature or Franchise: “County Road 12: Sammy the Cat,” WSFA
  • Spot News: “Mayor Langford Verdict,” WVTM
  • Regularly Scheduled Newscast: WIAT
  • Service Project: “One Class at a Time,” WIAT
  • Station of the Year: WIAT

Radio

PSA

  • Small Market: “Community Calendar,” WUAL-FM
  • Medium Market: “Breast Cancer,” WHLW-FM
  • Large Market: “97 Jamz Fall Festival,” WBHJ-FM

Promotion

  • Small Market: “Massacre on Meighan,” WKXX-FM
  • Medium Market: “Vintage Gospel,” WVAS-FM
  • Large Market: “Langford Coverage,” WERC-FM

Commercial

  • Small Market: “Dad’s BBQ,” WKXX-FM
  • Medium Market: “Rosie’s,” WXFL-FM
  • Large Market: “CB Roofing – Leaky Office,” WERC-FM

Web site

Sportscaster

  • Small Market: Brett Elmore, WJLX-AM
  • Medium Market: Rachine Francis, WVAS-FM
  • Large Market: Tom Morgan, WERC-FM

Reporter

  • Small Market: Brett Tannehill, WUAL-FM
  • Medium Market: Melanie Hogan, WVAS-FM
  • Large Market: Julius White, WBHK-FM

Personality or Team

  • Small Market: “The Chris Wright Show,” WFXO-FM
  • Medium Market: “Fletch of the Year,” WXFL-FM
  • Large Market: “Steve and Leah Show,” WERC-FM

Talk Show

  • Small Market: “Auburn/Opelika This Morning,” WANI-AM
  • Medium Market: “90.7 Perspectives,” WVAS-FM
  • Large Market: “Steve and Leah Show,” WERC-FM

Morning Show

  • Small Market: “Tige Rodgers Morning Show,” WMXA-FM
  • Medium Market: “Bubba & CJ Morning Show,” WBAM-FM
  • Large Market: “Buck Wilde Morning Show,” WBHJ-FM

Regularly Scheduled Newscast

  • Small Market: WHMA-FM
  • Medium Market: WVAS-FM
  • Large Market: WZZK-FM

Service Project

  • Small Market: “Kiwanis Radio Day,” WJLX-AM
  • Medium Market: “Charity Bowling,” WVAS-FM
  • Large Market: “Officer Davis,” WDXB-FM

Radio Station of the Year

  • WJLX-AM

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Birmingham Parent magazine wins 11 Parenting Publications of America awards

Posted on March 31, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Birmingham Parent magazine won 10 awards in the 2009 Parenting Publications of America Editorial and Design Competition, announced earlier this month.

Birmingham ParentThe judges’ comments included praise for the publication’s efforts, such as the Family Fun column by Patrick Rimmer:

“A clever concept, executed well. This is the sort of column that differentiates a publication and serves readers. Consumer-friendly reporting with verve.”

Also, publisher Carol Muse Evans was elected PPA vice president for 2010.

Gold Awards

  • Editorial for Family Fun Column, “The Park Rater,” By Patrick Rimmer;
  • Interior Photography, “Baby’s First Haircut” – Amanda Traywick, photographer, Hilary Moreno designer and art director;
  • Special Section within a Publication – 2009 Special Needs Guide, Hilary Moreno designer and art director, Lori Pruitt associate editor, Amanda Traywick photographer and Carol Muse Evans publisher;
  • Overall Design for a Publication – Hilary Moreno, designer and art director.

Silver Awards

  • Calendar Design – Hilary Moreno, designer and art director;
  • Calendar Writing – Lori C. Pruitt, calendar editor and associate editor;
  • Feature Layout Design, “The Color of Love” from the September 2009 issue, Hilary Moreno, designer and art director;
  • Table of Contents Design, Hilary Moreno, designer and art director;
  • “Short Stuff” Design, Hilary Moreno, designer and art director.

Bronze Awards

  • Editorial Reviews, “A Page in a Book,” written by Paige Gardner Smith, associate editor Lori C. Pruitt and Editor Carol Muse Evans;
  • General Excellence, January 2009 “Going to College Guide,” Hilary Moreno Art Director, Amanda Traywick Photographer, Associate Editor Lori C. Pruitt and Editor/Publisher Carol Muse Evans.

Also: full list of PPA award winners.

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Alabama Associated Press 2009 broadcast award winners

Posted on March 30, 2010 by | Leave a comment

The Alabama Associated Press 2009 broadcast award winners were announced last week.

Birmingham radio stations swept 14 of the 16 awards in their category, nine won by WBHM (90.3 FM). Birmingham TV stations took home 13 awards, with Fox 6 winning six awards.

AP News Cooperation award

Radio

  • WERC

Television

  • ABC 33/40
  • WHNT
  • WSFA

Radio

Note: All radio awards won by Birmingham stations, except for Nos. 7 and 15.

  1. Most Outstanding News Operation: WBHM
  2. Best Regularly Scheduled Newscast: WZZK, Don Dailey
  3. Extraordinary Coverage of a Scheduled Event: WBHM, Tanya Ott and Andrew Yeager, “Larry Langford Trial”
  4. Best Coverage of a Spot News Story: WERC, Neal Vickers
  5. Best General Sports: WBHM, Andrew Yeager and Tanya Ott, “Tide Flu” and “Greening the Green”
  6. Best Public Affairs/Documentary: WERC, “Strokes”
  7. Best Investigative Reporting: Alabama Public Radio, Brett Tannehill, “The Case of Bridget Lee”
  8. Best Hard-News Feature Story: WBHM, Tanya Ott
  9. Best Soft-News Feature Story: WBHM, Andrew Yeager, “Silly Bands”
  10. Best Reporter: WBHM, Andrew Yeager
  11. Best Anchor: WZZK, Don Dailey
  12. Best Commentator/Editorialist: WBHM, Marie Sutton, “Gay Marriage”
  13. Best Sports Reporter: WBHM, Andrew Yeager
  14. Best Sports Anchor: WERC, Tom Morgan
  15. Best Specialized Reporter: Alabama Public Radio, Alisa Beckwith-Ayilliath, “Health Coverage”
  16. Best Use of Tape: WBHM, Tanya Ott, “Grocery Auction”

WBHM posted its award-winning stories on its site.

Television

Note: Birmingham winners in bold.

1. Most Outstanding News Operation:

  • TV A: Fox 6 WBRC
  • TV AA: WHNT News 19
  • TV AAA: WTVY News 4

2. Best Regularly Scheduled Newscast

  • TV A: CBS 42, 5 pm News
  • TV AA: WHNT-TV, Tiffany Golden, Preston Benson, Denise Vickers, David Williams
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV , Lynn Brooks, Terri Brewer, Wes Wyatt, Gary Harris, Jerome Davis, Jennifer Hamner, Jonathan Newman, Clare Stewart

3. Best Documentary

  • TV A: CBS 42, Cynthia Gould, Larry Ragan, Scott McDowell, John Johnson, Bill Payer, Bill Ballard, “Poison In The Air”
  • TV AA: WAFF 48, Jeff Castle, Kim Essex, Daniel Farmer, Kim Hester, Daniel Hopkin, Liz Hurley, Ben Isenhower, Amanda Jarrett, Blake Mann, Remeisha Shade, Mark Thornhill, Brad Travis, Todd Wade, “20 Years Later: The Twister That Changed It All”
  • TV AAA: WTVY, Denise Bradberry, “Surviving The Storm”

4. Best Series

  • TV A: ABC 33/40, Yenu Wodajo, Bruce Nix, and Bill Castle, “Jobless”
  • TV AA: WHNT-TV, Carson Clark and David Wood, “Murder in the Snow”
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV, Terri Brewer and Jerome Davis, “Justice for Bridget”

5. Best Investigative Reporting

  • TV A: Fox 6 WBRC, Ronda Robinson, “Davita Dialysis”
  • TV AA: WHNT-TV, Wendy Halloran, Shane Hays, Denise Vickers, Joe Glotzbach, Jacob Greene, Breach of Trust”
  • TV AAA: WTVY-News 4, Skylar Zwick and Jason Wright, “Uninformed Security”

6. Best Spot News Story

  • TV A: ABC 33/40, Ainsley Bruister, Jon Pinnick, Melissa Riopka, Chris Reid, Bill Castle, Jerry Wade, Pam Huff, Tracy Haynes, Wyatt Caruthers, Teresa Tolson, Kim Roy, Angie Ephrom, “Officer Shot”
  • TV AA: WSFA 12 News, “May Montgomery Floods”
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV, Alex Joseph, “Cows on Interstate”

7. Best Feature Story

  • TV A: WKRG, Alan Sealls, “Hurricane Fastball”
  • TV AA: WHNT-TV, David Wood and Dan Satterfield, “Dan in Space”
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV, Terri Brewer abd Jerome Davis, “Behind the Badge: Self Defense”

8. Best Sports Story

  • TV A: WALA Fox 10, Cary Chow and Kevin Sullivan, “Taylor Haugen’s Legacy”
  • TV AA: WAFF, Scott Thiesen and Blake Mann, “Running Wild”
  • TV AAA: WTVY-News 4, Denise Bradberry and Chris Harris, “The Last Football Game at EHS”

9. Best Sports Feature

  • TV A: ABC 33/40, Jeff Speegle and Todd Dewey, “The Game Goes On”
  • TV AA: WAKA-TV, Dee Jackson, Stu McCann, and Stephen Carter, “The Game That Changed Auburn”
  • TV AAA: WTVY News 4, Brad Sherwood, “Ultimate Frisbee”

10. Best Sports Program

  • TV A: Fox 6 WBRC, Rick Karle, Mike Dubberly, Brian Pope, Rob Davis, Fox 6 Photography Team, “Sideline 2009”
  • TV AA: WAFF-TV, Scott Thiesen, Carl Prather, Eric Sollman, WAFF Photography Staff, WAFF Production Staff, “Friday Night Fever”
  • TV AAA: WVUA TV , Gary Harris, Rodney Orr, John Huddleston, Todd Hoyer,Jonathan Newman, Jennifer Hamner, Scott Spence,Ron Hamner, Keith Dobbins, Lynn Brooks, “Tider Insider TV Recruiting Special”

11. Extraordinary Coverage of a Planned Event

  • T VA: Fox 6 WBRC, Scott Richards, Janet Hall, Jonathan Hardison, Ashley Nix, Anthony Moore, Jamie Johnston, Perry Dawson, Neal Posey, Lloyd Alford, “Larry Langford Guilty”
  • TV AA: WHNT-TV, Denise Vickers, David Williams, Jerry Hayes, Allison Duff, Tiffany Golden, Shane Hays, David Wood, Carson Clark, Andrew Wilkins, “Tornado 89: Then and Now”
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV, Lynn Brooks, Terry Saban, Keith Dobbins, Amy Eifler, Jennifer Hamner, Jonathan Newman, Scott Spence, Roy Clem, Clare Stewart, Terri Brewer, John Huddleston, “UA Homecoming Parade”

12. Victor Irving Best Staff Photography

  • TV A: WALA Fox 10, Kevin Sullivan, Rob Lehocky, Franz Barraza
  • TV AA: WHNT-TV, Gregg Stone, Shane Hays, David Wood, Andrew Wilkins
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV, Jerome Davis, Parrish Alleman, Todd Hoyer, John Huddleston, Alex Joseph

13. Best Web Journalism

  • TV A: CBS 42, Bill Payer and Chris Mitchell
  • TV AA: WHNT-TV, Claire Aiello
  • TV AAA: WTVY News 4, Toygar Ayla, News 4 Staff

14. Best Reporter

  • TV A: WPMI, Andrea Ramey
  • TV AA: WSFA 12 News, Cody Holyoke
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV , Tyler Morton

15. Stan Tarilton Best Photographer

  • TV A: WALA Fox 10, Kevin Sullivan
  • TV AA: WHNT-TV, David Wood
  • TV AAA: WTVY News 4, Erica Proffer

16. Best News Anchor

  • TV A: WPMI, Greg Peterson
  • TV AA: WAKA-TV, Stefanie Hicks
  • TV AAA: WTVY News 4, Skylar Zwick

17. Best Weather Anchor

  • TV A: ABC 33/40, James Spann
  • TV AA: WAKA-TV , Chris Bailey
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV, Wes Wyatt

18. Best Sports Anchor

  • TV A: Fox 6, Rick Karle
  • TV AA: WAKA-TV, Dee Jackson
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV, Gary Harris

19. Best Specialized Reporter

  • TV A: Fox 6, Ronda Robinson
  • TV AA: WHNT-TV, Wendy Halloran
  • TV AAA: WVUA-TV, Terri Brewer

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Bessemer weekly newspaper Western Tribune folds

Posted on March 29, 2010 by | 6 comments

The Western Tribune has folded after 3 years. The Bessemer weekly newspaper ended with this cryptic post on its site.

The Tribune competed with the Western Star, a weekly newspaper founded in 1983.

The Tribune publisher has not responded to our request for comment.

Also: Bhamwiki entry on both papers

• • •

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The death of Southern Progress?

Posted on March 23, 2010 by | 6 comments

Birmingham publisher drops company Web site

Once among Birmingham’s largest publishing companies, Southern Progress Corporation has shrunk in population by more than half in less than 2 years. Its personnel have consolidated in two of three buildings on its Lakeshore Drive campus. It has closed down two magazines and sold off one operation. Many functions — human resources, marketing, accounting, building operations — have been consolidated or moved to Time Inc.’s New York headquarters.

And now, it has shuttered its online presence, southernprogress.com. The site now redirects to the Time Inc. corporate site. [view of site cached in Google]

southernprogress.com site1

Southernprogress.com: 2008 version (from archive.org)

southernprogress.com site2

Southernprogress.com: 2010 incomplete version
(from Google cache)

For some time, Southern Progress has been fading into oblivion, as sweeping changes throughout the publisher have roiled the Birmingham-based operation. In essence, the corporation that was formed 30 years ago and sold to Time Inc. 25 years ago barely exists, even as its employees still work under the existing titles Southern Living, Cooking Light, Health, Coastal Living, Oxmoor House, MyRecipes.com, MyHomeIdeas.com and Sunset.

Is the city losing one of its publishing companies to consolidation, economics and neglect?

Update March 24: This very report has spawned this odd headline … “Southern Progress not dead, Time Inc. says.”

Photo: Nelson Glass

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EXCLUSIVE: Birmingham Weekly editor laid off

Posted on March 1, 2010 by | 3 comments

Birmingham Weekly editor Glenny Brock has been laid off after more than 9 years at the alternative newspaper, Media of Birmingham has learned. She characterized the decision and the discussion with publisher Chuck Leishman as “mutually agreed upon.”

Glenny BrockHer last day and issue will be March 11.

Brock said by phone, “Freelancing not withstanding, it’s the only job I’ve ever had as a grownup, and it has made my career.”

It’s the second recent high-profile exit from the publication in less than 5 weeks: Columnist Kyle Whitmire left in late January.

Brock, who recently returned from an extended vacation in India, declined to give specifics on her next endeavor, except to say that she planned to stay in Birmingham and that she would pursue freelance and creative projects.

She started as a freelancer at the publication in August 2000, becoming a full-time staff member in December of that year, serving as contributing writer, staff writer, calendar editor and managing editor. Brock became editor in September 2002.

She added this statement by e-mail:

It’s time. I will always consider the Weekly my proving ground and the first great love of my professional life. I’ve done a lot of good work there and perhaps some great work. Now, after overseeing the completion of more than 460 issues of the paper and dozens of supplemental publications, it’s time to do something else.

When I became editor, I was fortunate to inherit a stable of writers that included Courtney Haden, Scot Lockman, Allen Barra, Kenn McCracken and Brent Thompson. Surely my greatest accomplishment was the recruitment of strong writers such as Kyle Whitmire, Jesse Chambers, Brooke Michael, Molly Folse, J’Mel Davidson, John Seay, Phil Ratliff and many, many others. Dynamos such as Phillip Jordan, Jonathan Purvis, Wes Frazer, Carey Norris, Andrew Thomas Clifton and Ingrid Norton came to the Weekly on their own, but I believe the relationships I have cultivated with these and other writers and artists are what has made the Weekly a respectable publication.

At this point, I can’t say what my future plans are, but my work at the Weekly has made my future possible.

She said that special projects editor Jesse Chambers has been tapped to succeed her as editor. Chambers began freelancing for Birmingham Weekly in 2004 and became a full-time staff writer in 2009.

A message was left with Leishman, and we hope to update with his response shortly.

• • •

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EXCLUSIVE: Coastal Living swaps editors

Posted on February 25, 2010 by | 2 comments

Also, ex-Southern Accents editor departs Southern Progress

Lindsay BiermanSara PetersonLess than 2 years after becoming editor of Coastal Living magazine, Lindsay Bierman is swapping his magazine title and job title. Media of Birmingham has learned that Bierman, shown at left, will become deputy editor of Southern Living on Monday. The move was announced in a company e-mail sent Wednesday (included below).

He had previously been editor of Cottage Living for just a few months before Time Inc. closed the publication.

Coastal Living’s executive editor Sara Peterson, shown at right, will succeed him as editor. The magazine debuted a redesign in 2009.

It’s the second editor change in less than 6 months at Birmingham-based Southern Progress Corporation, after Cooking Light’s swap in September.

All four titles are part of Southern Progress.

Also mentioned in the memo is the departure of Entrée’s editor Karen Carroll, who had also served as editor of Southern Accents before it folded in August. She leaves the company March 31 after 22 years at Southern Progress. Succeeding her is senior editor Alice Doyle.

• • •

The e-mail announcement from Time Inc. Executive Vice President Sylvia Auton …

Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:17:57 -0500

To: Lifestyle Group Colleagues

From: Sylvia Auton

Re: New Lifestyle Editorial Appointments

I am pleased to announce that Lindsay Bierman has been appointed Deputy Editor of Southern Living, effective March 1st. Sara Peterson will succeed Lindsay as Editor of Coastal Living.

Lindsay is a multi-talented editor who over the last year has developed Coastal Living with great creativity, intelligence and vision. All who work with him admire and respect his tremendous zeal and innovative thinking. Lindsay, who has spent more than half his adult life in the South, joined the company 14 years ago as the first Homes Editor at Coastal Living and served as Executive Editor at Southern Accents before moving to Cottage Living and then back to Coastal Living.

Last fall Eleanor Griffin and her staff restaged Southern Living, which is the country’s 5th largest monthly consumer magazine, to great reader and advertiser acclaim. In his new role, Lindsay will team up with Eleanor to build on this strong momentum.

On Lindsay’s recommendation, Sara, who has served with distinction as his Executive Editor, will also assume her new role on March 1st. A superb talent, Sara was instrumental in honing and executing last year’s redesign and re-launch of Coastal Living. Prior to being named Executive Editor in 2008, Sara had been the Homes Editor of Southern Living. Before moving to Birmingham, she spent six years in New York, where she was the Lifestyle Editor at Redbook and a Senior Editor at Family Life.

Separately, Karen Carroll, Editor of Entrée, a magazine created exclusively for Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, has decided to leave the company at the end of March. Karen’s keen, sophisticated eye was evident throughout the pages of both Entrée and Southern Accents. Karen began her career at Southern Accents as an intern in 1987 and rose to Editor in Chief by 2001, a position she held until that magazine’s closure last year; she added responsibility for Entrée in 1998. Highly respected and admired by the industry and her peers, we thank her for her commitment and contribution over the past two decades and wish her well in the future.

Alice Doyle will succeed Karen as Editor. Prior to joining the company in 2001 as Homes Editor of Southern Living, Alice had previously worked in New York at Saks Fifth Avenue, Women’s Wear Daily, and Elle. As Karen’s right hand at Entrée and Southern Accents, her fashion insights, expertise, creative talent and extensive industry contacts have been invaluable in raising the profile of Entrée.

Please join me in congratulating Lindsay, Sara and Alice on their new positions and wishing Karen the very best.

Sylvia

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Fox 6’s Bill Bolen retires

Posted on January 28, 2010 by | 3 comments

Anchorman Bill Bolen, a fixture in Birmingham television and radio for 56 years, signed off today after 41 years with Fox 6. The 81-year-old Selma native ended his long career on the morning show “Good Day Alabama.”

Gov. Riley declared today as “Bill Bolen Day.” Mayor William Bell presented him with a key to the city.

Bolen graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor of arts degree in radio arts. He served in the Air Force and worked different positions in Birmingham radio, including at WSGN (610 AM). He started on television with CBS affiliate WBMG (now WIAT) in 1965, joining WBRC-6 in 1969.

General manager Lou Kirchen said [video]:

In a time, when we may believe that chivalry is dead, we only have to look at the life of Mr. Bolen to know that’s not so. He will be long remembered for his generous smile, his deep, warm voice, his sense of humor, his faith and its manifestation in his commitment to our community. We are really going to miss you Mr. B.

Bolen received the American Cancer Society’s Life Inspiration Award in 1997 after surviving his own bout with the disease.

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EXCLUSIVE: Birmingham News executive editor Hunter George to retire in April

Posted on January 28, 2010 by | 3 comments

Hunter George is stepping down at the Birmingham News on April 30. The newspaper’s executive editor sent an e-mail to his newsroom colleagues on Wednesday to announce his departure:

At the end of April, I plan to retire after 42 years in the newspaper business. That career includes

  • covering Jane Fonda while getting pepper-gassed at the Republican National Convention in Miami Beach,
  • interviewing Otis Redding, Little Richard and B.B. King,
  • covering one Super Bowl and two Orange Bowls,
  • enticing 30 Miami cops to leave their duty posts and meet me at the FOP hall to complain about the chief,
  • covering a Beatles concert,
  • covering two plane crashes,
  • covering the 1972 Senate race in Florida,
  • supervising 150 summer interns,
  • working 40 election nights,
  • taking a call from Jimmy Cagney at 8:30 on a Sunday morning,
  • and telling the executive editor of The Miami Herald that there was nothing going on one morning and having him respond: “There’s plenty going on; you just don’t know about it.”

What we journalists do is more interesting than what most people do. It has been a privilege to work with you for the past 12 years. I shall think of you all fondly and I promise to call whenever I see a typo.

The News has seen several changes at the top, most recently the arrival of new publisher and president Pam Siddall. Also, buyout offers have been made to the entire staff, with the deadline extended till March. Parent company Advance Publications will end its “no layoffs” pledge at the end of next week.

No word on if or how George’s position will be filled.

• • •

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EXCLUSIVE: Kyle Whitmire, Birmingham Weekly part ways

Posted on January 26, 2010 by | 22 comments

Media of Birmingham has learned that columnist Kyle Whitmire is leaving Birmingham Weekly after 9 years with the publication. Whitmire characterized it as a mutually agreed upon split.

His final War on Dumb column will appear in Thursday’s issue, while his last official day will be Sunday. Whitmire covered city politics, winning several awards for his coverage. Most recently, he reported on the federal trial of former mayor Larry Langford and the resulting special election.

Whitmire was also the principal architect in bhamweekly.com’s current site design. He was most recently featured as the subject of the cover story, “Fighting City Hall,” in B Metro magazine, discussing how he wants to be remembered someday:

“I have this revenge fantasy that centuries from now an historian or archeologist will find what we’ve written in the Weekly and wonder, ‘Why weren’t these people in charge?’ So whenever I think no one is reading what I’m writing, I say to myself that I’m writing for posterity. Someone might mistake ‘War on Dumb’ for the Dead Sea Scrolls.”

He’s also a co-founder of Media of Birmingham.

Whitmire declined to reveal his immediate plans, other to stay in Birmingham.

Update Jan. 27: Whitmire offers an instant history lesson in his final column …

At the turn of the 21st century, Birmingham pined to be more like Atlanta. Little did it know it was well on the way toward making that nightmare come true.

The city ended the decade as it had every one before, as the “city of perpetual promise.” Some perceived this as an indicator of incessant failure. Others, rightly, knew its true meaning — the city of perpetual hope.

Also, Whitmire penned a farewell note via Facebook:

I’m incredibly grateful for my time at the Weekly and the opportunities it has given me. For the last nine years, I’ve been able to cherry-pick my assignments and I’ve had the editorial latitude to have a point of view as a columnist — things I never would have had at any other media, at least not at such an early stage in my career.

Whatever happens next for me, my time at the Weekly made that possible.

Plus, AL.com sports producer Dennis Pillion has his theories about the sudden departure of the Weekly’s best-known columnist.

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