Breaking News: Sports Illustrated lays off all six of its staff photographers
posted Friday, January 23, 2015 at 1:57 PM EDT
NPPA is reporting that Sports Illustrated has laid off all remaining staff photographers.
At approximately noon on Thursday, veteran sports photographers Robert Beck, Simon Bruty, Bill Frakes, David E. Klutho, John W. McDonough and Al Tielemans were notified of the decision.
In speaking with NPPA, Sports Illustrated’s director of photography, Brad Smith, cites ‘Unfortunately economic circumstances’ as the major factor in the decision.
Smith praised the works of the photographers saying, ‘[they] have contributed to the success of the magazine and the Sports Illustrated franchise.’ He notes that while they are no longer a part of the Sports Illustrated staff, he ‘can’t imagine a world’ where they won’t be contributing to the publication ‘under slightly different circumstances.’
Smith vows that Sports Illustrated’s ‘commitment to photography hasn’t changed,’ it’s just undergoing a structural change as a result of figuring out what exactly Sports Illustrated needs to become and produce in able to sustain a profitable business.
(via NPPA)