Tuesday, February 3, 2009

British Snappers get the shaft in hard times

Things aren't what they used to be for photojournalists, alas.

Photographers have been shocked by curt notices from Murdoch's News
International telling them that the Times is unilaterally reducing
its space rates. (This has also been reported by the Press Gazette)

Live News rates.(all in square inches. And sterling)
0-10" 90 down to 54
11-25" 130 down to 90
over 25" remains at 130

Stock rates.
0-6" 40 down from 75
7-10" 50 down from 110
over 10" 90 down from 110

Photographer response ranges from incredulous to disgust. These rates have been static for fifteen years, so the figures speak for themselves. What's more, the sterling exchange rate is going south. And most nationals insist on grabbing all electronic rights to the images. Some snappers are holding firm, in the knowledge that when that one needed image is unattainable elsewhere, the photo editors wil come crawling. Possibly....

Monday, February 2, 2009

TIME editor off-piste, colleagues pissed-off

The disgruntled 600 staffers recently laid off by Time Inc. collectively gnash their teeth about the expenditure lavished on lame reportage about the economic summit at Davos, according to Gawker. The tone of these self-indulgent editors is even gently mocked in the mag itself!