Chicago Sun-Times lays off its photo staff

Ouch! This is a major thing. So rather than in-house Photo Journalists with in-house training, accountability and long term reasons to have integrity within an organizations? They'll use stringers.

The Chicago Sun-Times has laid off its entire photography staff, and plans to use freelance photographers going forward, the newspaper said.
About 20 full-times staffers received the news Thursday morning, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The newspaper released a statement suggesting the move reflected the increasing importance of video in news reporting

Source

No what is a Newspaper without photographers? A newsletter? I don't know how reliable we can take anything they produce for imagery now that they'll be paying outsiders on the hope that the product meets their standards ..whatever those were to begin with.

What's next? Layoff the writers and use bloggers to fill content? Why not.....since profit to circulation seems far more important than high quality product to build and maintain reader loyalty. At least they'll still be around to supply puppy training pads in a pinch, eh?

*Watch for over-use of file photos and internet stock images is my major thought here.

Don't forget it reduces their legal liability too.
They can't be sued over the princesses boobies pics.

reply to post by samkent

You do have a point and even staff photographers have become outright tabloid in their trash at times. However, finding managing editors with the backbone to FIRE poorly performing or tabloid photographers on the spot would have solved that problem, I'm thinking. Firing bad performance seems taboo these days...so just firing them ALL is the better solution. Go figure.

This newspaper will be history shortly. This hurts credibility.