Photojournalism Is Dead

[Photo-John]

Photojournalism is dead - or at least dying. Read Dan Gillmour's blog article, The Demise of the Professional Photojournalist, and see what you think.

I can't say I disagree. I like think that quality counts for something. But big media companies don't like to pay for content if they don't have to. And there is a sense of immediacy to camera phone coverage. Will photojournalists be replaced by citizens with high-resolution camera phones uploading streaming video? Is it time to trade in the D2X for a Samsung camera phone?

[zrfraser]

I'll be happy to trade my Samsung camera phone for a D2X...Any takers?

Z

[Ronnoco]

The problem with the citizen photojournalist that has been pointed out is the problem of evaluating the SOURCE of the video or photograph. Professional photojournalists have a reputation and can be checked out. Others not as easily.

What are the ethics and responsibilities of a station for example, that accepts for news broadcast a video of a protest that may have been filmed by one of the protesters? Apparently American stations have, according to one investigative reporting program, already accepted even videos with faked violence as news from dubious sources. They were "manufactured" for political reasons to reflect badly on the ruling faction of a foreign country.

Considering the issue of liability, media organizations are taking a big risk in accepting and using non-professional work from doubtful sources.

Ronnoco

[JSPhoto]

They said the same thing many times before with new technologies, including the video camera. There will always be pro photojournalists. They said with the advent of the digital cameras too, but now there are more photojournalists than ever before. There will however always be the pros because they are the ones who cover events with better access and better equipment for the job. Do you think they will allow Joe Smoe to cover an event with a camera phone? I can see it now, a guy covering an NFL game or the Olympics with a camera phone, it just won't happen.
Another thing is that many companies and event sanconers do not allow camera phones, or even cameras without specific credentials.
Additionally even the little newspapers I shoot for now have all the writers set up with wireless so they can email photos and stories directly from the event.....now if they would set me up that way
Even at the Olympics the AP shooters all had wireless setups for their Canon 1D MKII N's which transmitted the photos to the editing room as soon as they took them.
Photojournalism will never die, it will go through many more changes though as technology changes.

JS