Weld
Weld for Birmingham is a weekly community newspaper and website founded in 2011 by Mark Kelly and Kyle Whitmire. Its stated mission was provide high quality journalism as a service to advertisers, and to promote positive change in the Birmingham area. Its offices are located at MAKEbhm at 4000 3rd Avenue South.
When it was launched, Weld absorbed many former staff members of Birmingham Weekly and was anchored by Whitmire's popular political reporting.
Glenny Brock, who had been the paper's managing editor, resigned in May 2012. In July of that year, WELD partnered with Birmingham 365 to publish event listings online. Whitmire, the paper's "new media editor", and staff writer Madison Underwood were hired away by the Alabama Media Group, content provider to The Birmingham News and al.com.
Jesse Chambers succeeded Brock as interim editor until the hiring of Nick Patterson. Heather Milam is the paper's general manager.
In January 2013 the weekly newspaper announced a partnership agreement with The Tuscaloosa News to distribute WELD to the daily's Birmingham-area subscribers and share certain resources.
In 2016 the paper moved to its present offices at MAKEbhm from 2312 1st Avenue North in downtown Birmingham.
Weld ceased publication of its print edition on July 13, 2017 after the Birmingham City Council had voted not to award the newspaper a $74,250, one-year advertising contract earlier that week. Updates to the website continued and the suspension of publication was expected to be temporary.
References
- "Brock leaves Weld for Birmingham, Chambers named interim editor" (May 19, 2012) Weld for Birmingham
- Kelly, Mark (June 21, 2012) "Riding the Wave". Weld
- Kelly, Mark (January 20, 2013) "The start of something big" Weld
- Poe, Kelly (July 12, 2017) "Weld Birmingham suspends print publication." The Birmingham News
External links
- Weld for Birmingham website