The crisis of photojournalism: rethinking the profession in a participatory media ecosystem

Abstract

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The economic crisis and the appearance of “citizen photojournalism” are the main challenges the professional practice of photojournalism has faced in recent years. The American Society of News Editors states that photojournalists (and visual journalists) are the professionals most affected by the cuts in the media ecosystem. The digital revolution has converted citizens into potential creators of images of newsworthy events and the media invite audiences to participate by sending in their photographs for publication. Photojournalists no longer have exclusive control of news images. Are they in danger of extinction? Has participatory journalism devalued the job of photojournalist? Are graphic reporters opposed to audience participation? This research tries to discover how Spanish photojournalists are reacting in this participatory media context. To attain this goal, twelve in-depth interviews were held with recognized Spanish photojournalists who develop their activity at the local, regional, national and international levels, featuring, for example, graphic reporters Manu Brabo (Pulitzer Prize, 2013) and Daniel Pozo (National Photojournalism Prize, 2012). All of them argue that quality is expensive and that few citizens can compete with the technical knowledge and work tools of a professional photojournalist. One main conclusion can be drawn from an analysis of their replies: photojournalists do not feel threatened by citizen participation in the media. In fact, they show great generosity by considering that the images contributed by audiences should be economically remunerated. In contrast, they regard media managers as the real enemies