AddThis SmartLayers

Reporter praises paper on YouTube after sobering up

A contrite Birmingham Mail reporter has praised his “fantastic” paper – the day after drunkenly resigning from it on YouTube.

Yesterday, we reported how a film featuring Adam Smith – aka Steve Zacharanda – had been posted on the video sharing website of him quitting his job while the worse for wear.

Adam was in America for the presidential election vote and filing copy for the Birmingham Post and Mail and sister title the Sunday Mercury.

Now, a follow-up video (below) entitled ‘Birmingham Mail, the day after’ has been uploaded to YouTube with Adam in a Barack Obama campaign office.

In it, he says: “Had a bit of a surprise this morning when I woke up and realised I was a YouTube sensation.

“I think I’ve lost my job – don’t really remember much about it.”

In the first video Adam says he was copying words from the BBC website and filing it as his own – something he clarifies is untrue in the second video.

He added: “I am a bit scared to speak to work. I’ve been told there have been words like ‘outrageous’, ‘bringing the company into disrepute’ which I’m so sorry if I have.

“The Birmingham Mail is a fantastic organisation staffed by people who really care.

“I have gotta leave next week along with 65 others due to job cuts at the Birmingham Mail.”

Adam/Steve’s online fanbase appears to be growing as a Steve Zacharanda Appreciation Society has been set up on Facebook while comments on YouTube call for him to be knighted.

He is planning new ventures Goggle-eye Magazine and Cheeky Media.

A Trinity Mirror spokesman said that Adam was expected back in work on Monday and stressed that no plagiarism had taken place.

Comments

Cameron Orson (07/11/2008 14:28:57)
Turncoat

Ed (07/11/2008 23:42:52)
Google News turns up one link to the Birminingham Mail when I search for “Adam Smith” (“…reporter Adam Smith is in America as Barack Obama is named as the next president. Here is his take on the atmosphere in the US: A NEW…”)
It now links to a blank page.
I guess that spokesman had the techies clean up everything before he issued his challenge to fins evidence of plagiarism.

John from Durham (09/11/2008 13:49:43)
What is he doing reporting on the American election in a local newspaper anyway? Has regional journalism really come to this?!

Vee J (10/11/2008 11:22:44)
He’s a character and the best advertistment for his paper ever. If they sack him, they’re mad.

ted (10/11/2008 17:09:05)
He is suspened on full pay. He was there in is own time paid by his own money. I hope he tells them to stick it. More to life than evening papers

Wilson Pickett (11/11/2008 10:01:44)
One of the last true characters in the industry – Adam will be sorely missed. Let’s not forget that the newspaper refused to put their hand in their pocket for someone to go, but were quite happy to take his copy for nothing.
Mind you, let’s not forget that this is a paper which invented an Elected Mayor campaign to fill pages.