Newsrooms in US / The ranks of photographers, artists and videographers have been trimmed by nearly half since 2000

Indeed, the annual newsroom census from the American Society of News Editors indicates that photographers, along with other visual journalists, represent the category of newsroom staffers hit hardest by the numerous rounds of job cuts.

The ranks of photographers, artists and videographers have been trimmed by nearly half (43%)—from 6,171 in 2000 to 3,493 in 2012, according to ASNE. By comparison, the number of full-time newspaper reporters and writers dropped by 32%—from 25,593 to 17,422. In the same period, 27% of copy and layout editor and online producer jobs were lost, falling from 10,901 to 7,980.

Data from the last three years alone further highlight this job insecurity. From 2010 through 2012, ASNE recorded an 18% reduction in full-time photographers, artists and videographers. That compares with a negligible job loss (0.2%) among copy and layout editors and online producers.  And it is three times the rate at which reporters and writers lost their jobs (6%).

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at

via At newspapers, photographers feel the brunt of job cuts | Pew Research Center.