More staff cuts at major media company

ABC news has cut 25% of its workforce in a development that could be followed by other media companies. Instead of sending teams of reporters with seperate camera and sound specialists they will build smaller teams of reporters that will operate their own digital camera’s. At this stage this will put a number of specialists out of work. This rethink to creating self supporting teams ,may have implications not just for camera operators but one would imagine that photography might also be done by the reporters.

That’s the balance ABC News is wrestling with as it cuts 25% of its 1,400-person staff and halves its ranks of bureau correspondents, replacing them with two dozen digital journalists.Network executives say smaller cameras and laptop editing software offer them a lifeline as they struggle to contain costs. Instead of relying on different people to produce, report, shoot and edit stories, one or two people with the right equipment can handle those tasks. via ABC News sees a digital future – latimes.com.

A new generation of media consumers is used to the gritty nature of online video and user generated content. These consumers are not expecting the more polished reports of professional specialists. This new style of operating is a significant departure from the traditional way of working and, if followed by others (why not?) will have further implications on photo- and video journalism.