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Archive 2015 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers

  
 
shymon
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


Another new low for what's left of the mainstream media. The magazine's name, after all, is "Sports Illustrated" not "Sports Sort of Illustrated."

https://nppa.org/node/69374?



Jan 23, 2015 at 03:06 PM
miccullen
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


You know that not all the images they currently publish are by staffers, right?


Jan 23, 2015 at 06:47 PM
rico
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


And now zero images will be by staffers. Sports Illustrated taking this action really shows that it's game over for inhouse production of photographic content in the mass media. Next up, the writers...


Jan 23, 2015 at 07:12 PM
rw11
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


Sports Amateur Illustrated


Jan 23, 2015 at 07:49 PM
Daniel Smith
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


SI is cutting costs associated with Benefits and Retirement for these staffers they have laid off. Cheap bastards!
Plenty of excellent freelance shooters will be lined up to work for them, many who already shoot for them often. We'll see if SI starts them bidding for sports assignments now. Pretty sure pay for events won't go up while at the same time I bet no on in management is taking a pay cut.




Jan 23, 2015 at 08:49 PM
markedman
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


If these guys can't have full time gigs where does that leave the rest of us?
A sign of the times like it or not.



Jan 23, 2015 at 10:58 PM
BluesWest
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


SI is cutting costs associated with Benefits and Retirement for these staffers they have laid off. Cheap bastards!

+1. You just have to read between the lines of the quote (below) from the magazine's photo editor to understand what management means when they say they would be happy to have the laid-off photographer's continue to work for them "...in a new structure...", in other words as independent contractors, with no benefits, no retirement plan, and probably at a fee that amounts to a much reduced rate of pay.

Smith said the six staff photographers "have contributed to the success of the magazine and the Sports Illustrated franchise, and I hope that they may continue to do so under slightly different circumstances." He said that while the six are no longer staff photographers, that does not preclude them for continuing to shoot for the magazine if they so desire.

"In my grandest thoughts I hope they will continue to contribute to the magazine," Smith said. "I can't imagine a world where they don't. We just have to figure out what this new structure is."


John



Jan 24, 2015 at 02:41 AM
thebmrust
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


I wish every photographer would NOT shoot the super bowl this year... I would like to see them put out a magazine with ZERO images of the biggest annual sports event in the US.

Sadly, that will never happen, because there are enough people that will shoot it for free, even give up copyright because it's the SB ans SI.

Until freelance photographers band together, the bar keeps getting closer to FREE every year.



Jan 24, 2015 at 03:28 AM
markedman
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


Agreed. This is the problem on a grand scale. Because too many "photographers" are more than willing to give their stuff away for free. I understand ego. But wouldn't it be better to sell your images? That would really boost my ego!
Have the photographers made any statements on the new policy? I understand the need to make tough business decisions.
But it will be interesting to see how this works out for both parties. SI is known for it's pictures. Do they really want to mess with the key component of of their identity?



Jan 24, 2015 at 09:40 AM
rw11
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


It won't happen as the equipment is so good now, that many will simply revel in no pay or little pay to be able to say "I got my pics in SI!"

call it the curse of better technology



Jan 24, 2015 at 03:30 PM
halie
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


It's not just the photographers. Aside from a few exclusive investigative journalism type articles, Sports Illustrated doesn't have much to offer that can't be found for free all over the net. I think the entire publication will dwindle to a skeleton of its former self before too many more years.


Jan 24, 2015 at 09:06 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


So how are they going to handle the Swimsuit Edition ... or has that already been outsourced


Jan 24, 2015 at 09:08 PM
Mescalamba
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


Guess remaining pics will be taken on cellphones..


Jan 24, 2015 at 09:25 PM
Dave_EP
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


It's a sad state for sure.

It used to be you'd accept a little less pay for job security, but while you may think you're still getting less, it's actually costing employers much more to give some one security than it is to get freelance workers, not just in photography but in just about everything.

While ever unions and government keep pilings on demands for more benefits, vacation days and retirement benefits, together with consumers wanting to spend less and get more from products made in the far east instead of home countries then is it any wonder that western economies are producing this kind of result where full time permanent staff are laid off because it's just too expensive to be a regular employer?

I'm not defending SI, but I'm also not criticising either because I don't know enough about their business model. What I do know is that print magazines in the UK are closing on a regular basis because their readership has migrated to the web where we all expect to read this stuff for free.

For all those in comfy 9-5 jobs for life be warned. What stops it being you next?

[ducks for cover ]




Jan 25, 2015 at 07:03 AM
RustyBug
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


+1 @ Dave not defending, but ...

There is an aspect to this that is a reality to a different expectation of what "Free Enterprise" is.

Saddled between consumerism expecting "FREE" and the addition burdens exacted upon companies by others (i.e. less free @ gov, etc.) ... it becomes a diff realm in what the valuation for a transaction is @ mutually agreeable. When the buyer's price is "FREE" and there are sellers willing to agree to sell for free, then a mutually agreed transaction occurs @ what the market will bear.

That's not to say that SI won't pay their freelancers for quality work @ survival of the fittest, but there is a relationship @ cost to produce (i.e. government burdens, etc.) and revenue generated. So, when the costs to produce are increased (new ObamaCare burdens, new fees, new tax rate) ... coupled with dwindling revenue and projections that they'll move even lower, it is at least understandable, no matter how unpalatable.

I've spoken with some in the paper & pulp industry (i.e. makers of magazine paper) and they are legitimately concerned @ how to stave off the decline in paper product consumption. I can help them understand how to reduce their cost to produce through improved MRO ... but I don't pretend to have the answer to their declining consumption and corresponding revenue reduction.

The ones I've spoken with are starting to shift their strategy to consider how to increase the visual quality of the paper experience, while others are starting to shift toward other paper products that cannot be replicated electronically (i.e. packaging, etc.).

Of course, there is no such thing as a "Free Lunch" ... sooner or later, somewhere the price gets paid and/or lunch stops being served. That, or maybe you have to change from Filet Mignon to McDonald's because of who's picking up the tab now. Either way, if the consumer and advertisers aren't willing to pick up the tab (alternate options, etc.) and the gov keeps raising the cost to produce ... the laws of supply & demand will do what they do.

That said ... yes, I realize that SI probably could easily absorb the cost of a measly SIX staffers. Some bean counter is pressured to cut costs in order to save the $$$. I figure that is about a $1 million dollar (or so) annual swing @ wages, benefits, retirement, SS, etc. that will become about $250K (1/4) - $333 (1/3) in freelance wages only ... recognizing that wages alone can make up less than 1/2 the total costs to carry an employee.

But, often times it isn't just about the money @ the staff ... but it is a message to the board or the shareholders that management is DOING SOMETHING to offset the decline in revenue, trying to save face and/or retain the confidence of those backing them. As such, the staffers become the sacrificial lamb, while they struggle to address the root issues for the revenue decline ... and a strategy for moving forward in these paper vs. digital vs. free (consumer & provider) times.

BTW ... hmmm @ how much this is delayed fallout from Getty declining the market.




Jan 25, 2015 at 09:09 AM
rw11
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


since you guys have begun talking about political issues, note that the new ObamaCare burdens apply only selectively (e.g. did SI pay for health ins. before?), and that a single-payer system would completely eliminate the incremental cost to an employer as compared to paying a free-lancer


Jan 25, 2015 at 03:24 PM
chez
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


Welcome to the real world where jobs disappear on a daily basis. Those pulp mills that Rusty mentioned employ hundreds of people and I've seen many close shop. That's hundreds of jobs gone, quite often in a small mill dependant town where there is no other work. These workers will need to pick up and move. But the real kicker is they cannot sell their house since there is no other work in these small towns so they are stuck.

Yes it's a shame SI has laid off 6 staff photogs but in the big scheme of things, there are much larger impact from corporations than these 6 photos that can still freelance back to SI.



Jan 25, 2015 at 04:22 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


+1 @ Chez

I've seen three magazine printing plants close their doors within an hour of home ... way more than six folks effected. And not a lot of options for them to go "freelance" as a printing press operator after they get their last paycheck.

Some uprooted their family to a different state to work in a different plant (had a relative and a neighbor that made such a move). Those houses sat ... then finally sold for




Jan 25, 2015 at 08:26 PM
mshi
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers


Every publish thing has moved to screen [sea change]. As a result, quality dont matter any more. All you need is some combo of hype/celebrity/likes/clicks. You aint seen nothin' yet.


Jan 26, 2015 at 12:08 AM
glort
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Sports Illustrated lays off all staff photographers



I think there is another side to this than the predictable bleat and moan that always dominate these storys.

What OPPORTUNITIES has this created?
Unless the mag is no longer going to use any pics, the ones they do use still have to be taken by someone. Who's that going to be? I can't see the major leauge letting in any tryhard with a rebel, they are surely going to need accreditiaon of some sort so I find the whole thing of people working for free to be very unlikley... that is if there are any pro sports shootrs with half a brain which I hope ther are.

Now seems to me that these shooters may well have the opportunity to get paid by this mag where they couldnt' before. It may have well been that the policy like a lot of other publications was to only use their own shooters work where there was one present at the game. if that's the case, now there is the opportunity for anyone to make a buck out of them.

The other thing is while it's presumed they will pay nothing, maybe they will pay pretty well on an individual pic basis because they can afford to now the hidden costs of their shooters are gone. If they said " We are going to cut $1M in wages, benifits plus all the transport, accomodation etc costs of ouor staffers and put half of that back into the budget for picture purchases, then the budget may have just gone up half to one Million.

Whos going to be smart enough to cash in on that? I'll bet there are some people out there going " Great, SI just axed all their shooters, now I have the opportunity to supply them". That's what real pros and business savvy people do.

Also, what other related jobs may benifit? Maybe the picture agencies that supply SI will get busier and have to employ someone else? Maybe they will have to employ another retoucher or photo editor at SI to do what the shooters previously did.

I remember a while back all these retailers here complaining about internet sales and closing down. Meanwhile a guy I know that had a contract with the post office for delivering parcels got a whole load busyier and went out and bought a new larger van to cope. I saw this guy a few weeks ago after not seeing him for a few years and he now has 3 vans with his wife and an employee working for him. That's just in one country town.

Sure some of these retailers closed down ( and it's usualy the ones with less than great business strategies and business plans) but that's not to say the job numbers just evaporated. More likley they moved to other areas.

I know a guy that used to shoot a lot for car mags. That work pretty much dried up and he started posting pics of car shows online and then started a YT channel with a mate.
They earn in excess of $600K a year between them now. How upset do you think he is about the decline of car mags?
You can whinge and moan or you can say what opportunities are being created and how can I fill and cash in on them and get off your butt and do something about them.

And that's my long winded point. 6 shooters got laid off from SI but what opportunities and job were created because of that?
Unless SI is no longer going to use pics, someone still has to take them. It's likley these shooters are with different employers rather than just unemployed and the work they did now totally non existant.

And one other thing for those lamenting this, if YOU were running a company that had share holders and a board you had to report to and YOUR earnings were tied to the performance and profitability of said company, what would YOU do if you could see a more profitable way to source the raw material you needed?

This is just business and you either move with the times or you sit round moaning and get left behind.
You want to keep complaining that the Motor car is killing you Carridge sales or you going to start building car bodies and grow with progress?



Jan 26, 2015 at 05:50 AM
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