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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Small newspapers the place to be
Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 12:17 PM on 08.10.09 |
->> Here is a story about small newspapers surviving the tough economic downturn that has affected so many of its larger counterparts.
"Less competition means the print editions and Web sites of smaller newspapers remain the focal points for finding out what's happening in their coverage areas.
In contrast, large newspapers carry more national news, as well as local, and have many competitors, including Web sites and television and radio stations. They report much of the news the day before printed newspapers reach homes and newsstands. Large newspapers' Web sites also provide the news for free a day ahead of print editions."
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Small-is-beautiful-and-apf-3942791498.html?x=... |
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Karl Stolleis, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Santa Fe | NM | | Posted: 1:08 PM on 08.10.09 |
| ->> This isnt new - folks have been saying this for years. |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 1:30 PM on 08.10.09 |
| ->> Did you read the story? It discusses ad revenues at small circulations compared to larger ones in a study by the Inland Press Assoc. It discusses how smaller papers have avoided deep staff cuts compared to larger ones. There is a lot of new statistics available that explain the reasons behind the survival, just the fact they're small. |
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Albert McCracken, Photographer
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Lockport | NY | USA | Posted: 1:49 PM on 08.10.09 |
| ->> Yes, small newspapers maybe successful but, at what cost. They under pay the staff and freelancers to show a profit. |
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Clark Brooks, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 2:01 PM on 08.10.09 |
->> Definitely nothing new.
Small town papers are use to running lean with staff members usually performing two or more functions for the publication thus keeping labor cost to an absolute minimum. It doesn't take stats to know that a small circulation paper who has their own their press is not feeling the effects as larger, over staffed with single task-oriented employees. Add to the fact that a lot of the content in smaller papers are user supplied at no cost, communities tend be less wired or provided with low-end internet connectivity and in general people in small towns are more supportive of local business concerns.
Had the publisher of one of my former client papers held on to his paper, the publication would be doing far better than it is currently. He owned a press (the idiots at the new company sold it) and the building he operated from (they now rent a location). He was very involved in the community and they, the new company, could care less about being heavily involved in community functions.
Small town, small circulation papers definitely will survive and continue to server their role in those communities. |
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Bradly J. Boner, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Jackson | WY | USA | Posted: 4:12 PM on 08.11.09 |
->> Clark - I would say you're mostly right. Of course, there are exceptions, and I'd like to think we're one of them.
I'm lucky to work at a small weekly newspaper that recognizes the value of quality community photojournalism. And while we certainly haven't been immune to the current economic conditions, we'll survive and be profitable not because we cut corners, not because we make photographers be writers and make writers be photographers, not because we accept free user-supplied content. We'll survive because we provide content that no one else does, and that content is top notch all the way across the board. We're also fortunate to have a strong, passionate reader base who really cares about the community and the region.
Sadly, we're probably the exception rather than the norm. Too many weeklies and small dailies are making their writers take photos with their cell phones, and seem to think there's nothing wrong with that.
Anyway, I've come to realize my photojournalism career will eventually end at this newspaper, but I also realize that I'm just fine with that. |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 7:54 PM on 08.11.09 |
->> Bradly, I think statements like some that Clark made really don't fit the small town newspaper mold as accurately as they once did. For example, if you want a low end Internet connection here, you can get one. If you want the high speed connection, like I have, it's as fast as anything available in the United States. Technology is available in this country to whoever is willing to pay for it.
It's true, some people here do more than one job. I shoot and do page design. I don't see that as a bad thing at all. It has kept me employed. It has made me more employable. A one-trick pony isn't much good to anyone these days.
The truths and myths?
— We accept photos from cell phones. False. Most are of horrible quality.
— We accept reader submitted copy. True. Do we clean it up? Yes. Do we check for accuracy? Yes. Do we decline some submitted material? Yes
— Small papers run lean. True. The truth of the matter is, so do large ones and they probably wish they had run leaner during the good days so they could have weathered the bad days. Too late now.
— Has the recession affected small newspapers? Absolutely. However, at our paper, we have remained in the black. Not one person has lost their job here due to the economic downturn. No layoffs. We had one reporter leave for another job last year and the position is still funded, but remains dark.
It may be small and not as exciting at a smaller paper. But folks, I have yet to miss one single paycheck during the entire recession and my health benefits have remained in full force the entire time. There are a lot of photographers who belong to this site who cannot make that claim.
I have yet to experience a single instance of denied access to any event in this county. Cooperation has been excellent. No traffic issues, no smog, cost of living is very low and one homicide in 18 months.
The important thing here is being employed and having self-satisfaction in what you do and contributing to a product that is making a difference in a community. It's a helluva lot better than wondering if you're going to have a job next week and having to search for another. |
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Mark Buffalo, Photographer
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Lonoke | AR | USA | Posted: 8:35 PM on 08.11.09 |
->> I don't post often on here but I feel like I must on this topic.
I'm the sports editor/photographer/paginator/and former delivery boy for three weekly papers in Central Arkansas. I've had numerous chances in the past to go to work at a bigger paper, including the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette but it would have been as a sports writer only. Photography is a passion of mine and it has been since I got a Canon AE-1 program for my 14th birthday.
I say all this because I love my job. Yes, it is time consuming but I enjoy what I do and I have more freedom to cover things I want and shoot photos of games and other photojournalism-type stuff that I want. Yes, money is important but the freedom I have is invaluable. I do my job in a timely manner and my employers seem to be happy with my work. I feel like I could work at any paper and be successful, but I've been at my papers for 15 years, 13 of those I got to work with my mother, who was editor of our hometown newspaper until she died last summer.
So with that said, small papers are the place to be. Would I like to make more $$$, sure but I like what I do and wouldn't trade it, especially for the time I got to work with my mom. Here is a link to a column I wrote last year.
http://markbuffalo.blogspot.com/2008/08/mom-column.html
And I do respect everyone's opinion. That is what freedom is speech is all about.
Mark |
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Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 8:47 PM on 08.11.09 |
->> I'm on board with Mark.
I work at a Weekly in Monterey and I love it. Firstly, it's in one of the best places in the world and I get to cover HUGE events for our rag: Moto GP, pro golf at Pebble Beach and huge name artists playing at the jazz fest and blues fest.
Like anyone else, I'd like a bigger check, but at what cost? Disliking my colleagues (who are really great here), etc.
I also get to still write a lot of news and sport stories, which I also like too and I'm on the web quality control team. I get do a lot more here I feel and for me, it's work it.
Granted I'm only 25 and eventually I'd like to move up, shoot some pro sports and bigger news scenarios, but it's a pretty fantastic gig, still even after 2 years on the never-ending clock... |
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Byron Hetzler, Photographer
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Granby | CO | USA | Posted: 10:55 PM on 08.11.09 |
->> Amen to Bradly, Mark and Nic. Two years ago I was fortunate enough to land a job with a small weekly which was preparing to do a redesign and switch to publishing daily. After 10 years of freelancing I was tired of the roller coaster ride with the local economy and was looking for a steady paycheck. I went from shooting commercial work and the Broncos, Rockies, Avalanche, college football and a slew of other high level sports, to shooting high school sports, pets of the week, question of the week
I've gone from being just another photographer at a game where no one cares if I'm there or not, to having people actually tell me that they appreciate that I'm at their event and that my photos are the only reason they pick up the paper. It feels good to be a part of the community and have little kids call out, "hey, it's the picture guy!" It's a great feeling.
Our paper has struggled in the last nine months--more than half of the employees have been laid off, we've cut down to publishing three times a week, and our editor just took a new job, so we are down to three, yes three, editorial staff. We are doing the best we can under the circumstances and I'm sure there are some things slipping through the cracks, but we are still cranking out a quality product.
I love where I live and the diverse blend of people here make it a special place. It's a trade off, as are most things in life, but at this time I will gladly take it over a larger market. |
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Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 11:16 PM on 08.11.09 |
->> Byron,
Right on. I'm not just another photog (except for the bigger int'l events) and I get to really focus on how larger national things are affecting real people (i.e. the health care reform town hall meeting I covered last night).
I feel that focusing larger on a small scale keeps me interested in my job a lot more. I go from covering extreme gang violence (the most homicides in California right now) in Salinas to small town politics on the bay.
It's a great place to be, both physically and mentally. |
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Dave Einsel, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Houston | TX | United States | Posted: 11:22 PM on 08.11.09 |
->> This is definitely not new. Myself and others have said it for years.
For example; the Lufkin (TX) Daily News is on a much firmer footing than the Houston Chronicle simply because no one else is covering their circulation area, they don't have the overhead or, generally, the shareholder pressure.
When I worked at a 30K circ paper in the early 80's, everyone in town knew I was the paper's photographer and was glad to have me cover their story. When I moved to the 9th largest paper in the country, people accepted me but it was a very different dynamic. At the smaller paper I would usually be the only news media member on the story. In the big city, I was vying for space with another paper, five TV photographers, two wire services and a handful of radio reporters. Only the society folks might pretend to know me.
I still think that I often made better pictures for the small market paper because I was the only one there. It was much easier to be intimate in that environment.
Of course smaller market papers/TV stations/etc pay their staff far less but living in a small market ain't living in the big city.
As a cocky 20-something I often wondered why my boss had been at the small paper for such a long time. Maturity has confirmed that it's all about personal fulfillment and quality of life. |
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Chuck Liddy, Photographer
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 2:44 AM on 08.12.09 |
| ->> Big, medium, small medium, big small and medium big papers are the place to be if you are there already. I'm going to chime in here. I started at really small papers. I learned a lot. Everyone knows you (which is good and bad) the job security was good. Pay and hours...well not so good. When you're on call 24 hours a day for spot news, well exciting as it is....it gets old. I moved up to larger markets through the years and have to say I actually liked the anonymity of being in a bigger market. I also liked the bigger paycheck where I didn't HAVE to work in my limited off hours to make money to pay my bills. That said I admire all you guys who still work in the trenches of the small papers. Sure things are tough everywhere. We've lost some great folks at my paper, we took a 7% pay cut this year and that goes with the salary freeze for the past two years. Do I regret moving up? Nope, actually HELL NO! As much as I liked working for the small papers I worked at I look at them now (I have the opportunity to do that every now and then) and have to say they have changed. All for the worse. Some small papers have retained their character over the years, unfortunately the ones I worked for have not. I admire you guys hanging with the small papers but I think those of us at bigger papers for better or worse are just as happy. As much as I worry about the state of photojournalism I am probably as happy as I have ever been. The internet has given us opportunities we could never have imagined twenty years ago. Do I think the biz is in trouble? Yup, I stand by that. But is this a great time for those of us ALREADY in the biz...oh yeah..it is. Sorry, I'm ramblin' but I've had some GREAT assignments in the past week....and they NEVER would have received the "play" they have if it wasn't for the internet. |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 12:17 PM on 08.12.09 |
| ->> Chuck, I want to extend kudos to you on a very good post to this thread. If you've got a job in this business at any newspaper, especially a larger one and you've managed to survive this long without being laid off, that's an achievement in itself. |
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Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 2:09 PM on 08.12.09 |
->> Chuck,
I like your feedback as well. I don't think I was digging on bigger papers at all, but I think it's important to be happy wherever you are in the world and for me, it's where I am right now works for me.
The idea of anonymity is appealing though... |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 3:04 PM on 08.12.09 |
->> It really depends a lot on ownership and leadership. Good leadership understands the value of their employees and can make a huge difference in how well the newspaper (or any business) navigates through tough times.
As a employer, employees who can THINK on their feet, be part of the process, leave any personal issues at home and work well as part of the team are what we look for in my other business.
Doesn't matter what business - those attributes will make help everyone be successful.
LOCAL ownership - that understands that it's part of a community and how that "fits" is the other key component.
Michael |
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Hal Smith, Photographer
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Sedalia | MO | USA | Posted: 5:01 PM on 08.12.09 |
->> Next question... What is small, medium, large nowadays.
Is big over 100,000 circulation or maybe over 25,000.
is small under 50,000 or is it under 10,000.
I've been in newsrooms at some larger places that are seriously understaffed. I've worked at smaller newspapers that try to act big.
It's all relative. To what I'm not sure. |
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Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 5:45 PM on 08.12.09 |
->> We have the largest circ in Monterey County, it's about 37,000.
We're kinda like a med-small.
~ n |
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