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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Dark day at the Washington Times
Luke Sharrett, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Washington | DC | United States | Posted: 8:17 PM on 12.30.09 |
| ->> Friends, please keep the Washington Times' photo staff in your thoughts and prayers. From what I've heard, almost their entire staff of talented photojournalists was laid off this afternoon. Its been honor to learn from and shoot alongside folks like Mary Calvert, Rod Lamkey, Michael Connor, Katie Falkenberg, and Allison Shelley, to name a few, in the last few months in Washington, D.C. |
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Jane Tyska, Photographer
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Oakland | CA | USA | Posted: 8:57 PM on 12.30.09 |
->> I'm so very sorry to hear this, especially having worked with Rod and Mary here in the Bay Area. Nice time of year to do it, huh?
Good luck to everyone and hang in there. |
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D. Ross Cameron, Photographer
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Oakland | CA | USA | Posted: 8:58 PM on 12.30.09 |
->> Having worked with Mary and Rod, it's an understatement to say that this is a loss for photojournalism.
The only upside I can think of is that they're both so talented that they can't help but land on their feet.
Sigh...
DRC |
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Sean D. Elliot, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Jesse Beals, Photographer
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Tracyton | WA | USA | Posted: 11:47 PM on 12.31.09 |
->> Wow it just gets worse in this industry. The thing that really pisses me off that I have seen some papers do is they choose to keep less qualified or somebody making chump change around over the talent or seniority. Heck I also wonder if they just cut back since everybody else is doing it and it's a way for them to save some extra money.
Yet the people who bust their butt and put these publications on the map get let go with out warning. It's sad if we wanted to quit we would have to give two weeks notice or we would lose all our built up vacation, yet if they want to lay you off they can tell you that day that your gone.
Yes you can say I am bitter about this subject, I worked my butt off for 6 1/2 years, bringing in 97 state and national awards for my former employer. I got my pink slip out of the blue the day before I was to take my first family vacation in two years. Kinda funny how that works, I am leaving for two weeks and BAM!!! before you go vacation here on is your pink slip also can you train the reporters on how to use the new camera we bought (canon rebel) before you leave.
At this rate come next year the entire industry is going to be freelancers contributing to papers, magazines, websites and books. |
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Mike Brice, Photographer
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Ogden | UT | USA | Posted: 12:56 PM on 01.01.10 |
->> It is sad, but it shouldn't come as a surprise - the paper has never made money its entire existence.
It had a unique purpose and it appears to have become too expensive even for its founders to justify - by some estimates $1 billion estimated spent to subsidize it since it was started. |
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G.J. McCarthy, Photographer
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Dallas | TX | Lower 48 | Posted: 1:13 PM on 01.01.10 |
->> Hey Mike:
I get that you're just relaying facts and all -- I've heard those same things about The Times -- and the points you bring up are worthy of discussion in the greater conversation about where this industry is heading; but, let the dust settle a little ... or maybe start a different thread or something.
This is fresh, and real people lost out in this -- real, talented people with mouths to feed and all that good stuff.
Not accusing you of otherwise, but let's just have a modicum or respect for what they've just went through ... like, two days ago. And over the holidays, no less.
Cheers, and with the utmost respect,
- gerry - |
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Andrew Carpenean, Photographer
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Laramie | WY | USA | Posted: 1:45 PM on 01.01.10 |
->> I feel especially sorry for Janet Reeves who moved cross country to take a new position to end up getting layed off three months later and twice in less than a year. No fun.
I wish all the best in 2010 for these photojournalists. |
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Mark Loundy, Photo Editor
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San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 2:09 PM on 01.01.10 |
->> Folks, these are businesses. Only the ones owned by individuals or families have the luxury of making decisions based upon what is right for journalism. The vast majority of larger newspapers are owned by corporations. By law, they are REQUIRED to make their decisions based on what is right for the stockholders. At this point, all many of them can do is cut expenses to slow (not stop) the inevitable elimination of all stockholder value.
Not even the Reunification Church (owner of the Washington Times) has an unlimited bank account.
The future of journalism lies with new organizations and individual entrepreneurs.
A few of the largest news organizations may survive, but working for them will be like playing in major league sports. Statistically, there will be so few of those jobs and the expected skill set so elite that a given journalist will have zero chance of working for them.
--Mark |
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Willis Glassgow, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Florence | SC | USA | Posted: 8:34 PM on 01.03.10 |
->> I totally agree with Mark. These are business decisions, and while I feel incredibly sorry for the people, especially the photogs at the Times, this was inevitable. So it should not come as a surprise at all to anyone, especially the folks at the Times. The Unification Church did subsidize the paper since its inception and can no longer afford to this any longer. Again, no surprise.
These are tough times, and we as photogs have to be even tougher than what is thrown at us. So let's quit crying in our beers and move on. As Mark stated, the future of journalism, lies with new organizations and individuals. So which one of us, is going to be this individual with the great new idea?????.....It could be any of us. |
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Martin Fernandez, Photographer
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Woodbridge | VA | USA | Posted: 2:53 PM on 01.08.10 |
| ->> Heard about this and also that they cut the entire sports section as well... |
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Steve Ueckert, Photographer
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Houston | TX | | Posted: 6:32 PM on 01.08.10 |
->> Mark,
You wrote: "A few of the largest news organizations may survive, but working for them will be like playing in major league sports. Statistically, there will be so few of those jobs and the expected skill set so elite that a given journalist will have zero chance of working for them."
This may yet be true with respect to the NBA, but as to MLB & NFL and perhaps the NHL as well, I suspect there are already more professional athletes on the major league level for any given league than there are staff photographers for newspapers with circulations of 100,000 (major metro dailies.)
The Houston Rockets have about as large of a team roster as the photo staff of the Houston Chronicle which has a circulation of 400,000+.
--Steve |
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Mark Loundy, Photo Editor
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San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 7:04 PM on 01.08.10 |
->> Steve,
Sadly, you're probably right.
--Mark |
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David Manning, Photographer
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Athens | GA | | Posted: 7:17 PM on 01.08.10 |
| ->> So... since they're so few of us, we should get elite pay, right? |
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Mark Loundy, Photo Editor
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San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 11:52 PM on 01.08.10 |
->> David, The elite do. But there will be fewer and fewer of them.
--Mark |
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