The Sun Times group has fired its entire photojournalism staff - indicating that relying on candid snaps from cellphones and social media photo-sharing would appeal to an "increasingly digital-savvy" readership. It's also been reported that all reporters will be taking mandatory iPhone workshops for photo training.
Is this validation of the shift to backpack journalism, or another short-sighted attempt to cut costs by reducing the product's value? While I think arming all reporters with the capacity to capture photos, audio, and video can be helpful, a trained photojournalist can add value through framing and their ability to identify and capture "the moment." And that quality is one of the few competitive advantages major news outlets have over their online competition. Is it really one to ditch for possible short-term cost savings?
Source - Chicago Sun Times Fires Its Entire Photo Staff
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