News Corp Australia outsourcing drive sees up to 70 photographers let go
News Corp Australia is expected to take the axe to up to 70 photographers as the publisher switches to an outsourcing model for images, retaining a skeleton team of photography specialists with the bulk of work undertaken by freelancers and agency workers.
News Corp Australia cost-cutting sees up to 70 photographers go
Individuals were informed of the changes last week when managers began meeting affected photographers individually to carry out a ‘skills assessment’ before deciding who must go.
In a statement the business confirmed that old staff were being retired in favour of a ‘hybrid model, consisting of a core team of photographic specialists, complemented by freelance and agency talent.’
Newsrooms ranging from the Daily Telegraph, the Herald Sun, the Courier-Mail and the Adelaide Advertiser will all be restructured to take account of the new model which follows a collapse in advertising revenue associated with printed newspapers.
News Corp Australia sank $287m into the red over the second quarter, indicating that the present round of job losses are unlikely to be the last with production staff, subeditors and designers expected to find themselves in the firing line next.
News Corp is all set to introduce its own programmatic advertising offer later this year.