chicago newspapers laid off their photo staff

[Beth Anthony]

the chicago sun laid off their entire photography staff of 28 employees this morning, including a pulitizer prize winning photographer. they're going to start using freelance photographers.

Chicago Sun-Times lays off photo staff - chicagotribune.com

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Wow!

 

[Pete Askew]

And we wonder why everything ends up looking the same!

 

[Peter Blake]

doesn't that just mean the original 28 get to be freelance instead of staff?

 

[Pete Askew]

Probably, and some will do well and others, that lack skills in business etc' will end up doing something else. What I fear is that, as these new freelancers work for a more divers range of customers, any house style etc that characterised a newspaper will become eroded and homogenised.

 

[Peter Blake]

it was the 'going forward' bit that turned my stomach

 

[Beth Anthony]

unfortunately i get the feeling that the 28 photographers will be too expensive to employ as freelancers. so the guy who was just laid off is looking at not only a reduction in pay, but now he has to buy his own health insurance and other benefits.

 

[Beth Anthony]

update - a tumbler blog showing comparisons of the new sun time's freelance photographers vs. their competition's staff photographers.

for simplicity's sake, sun times is on the left and the tribune is on the right unless otherwise noted.

http://suntimesdarktimes.tumblr.com/