The trend in major media these days is to do without as many warm bodies as possible, especially warm bodies that require things like paid vacations and health insurance.
Sports Illustrated, which is probably the best known sports magazine in the country, is no exception. On Thursday they informed their six remaining photojournalists that their jobs were being eliminated.
Sports Illustrated director of photography Brad Smith confirmed the move this morning to News Photographer magazine.
"It's true," Smith said. "There was a decision made through the company to restructure various departments, including at Sports Illustrated. Unfortunately economic circumstances are such that it has cut the six staff photographers."
So, how do you put out a magazine without staff photographers?
That's easy. You use freelancers -- including the folks you just tossed under the bus.
Smith said the six staff photographers "have contributed to the success of the magazine and the Sports Illustrated franchise, and I hope that they may continue to do so under slightly different circumstances." He said that while the six are no longer staff photographers, that does not preclude them for continuing to shoot for the magazine if they so desire.
How's that for a sweet deal? You unload all those pesky benefit costs and still get to use the photographers.
Call it the Freelancing of America. Turn as many people as possible into independent contractors. Not only do you save money on benefits, you can also save money by not using them for extended periods.
Freelancing works well for some people, but for the vast majority it is a tough way to make a living -- even tougher if you don't have a spouse working full-time.
Of course, there is a certain amount of risk in SI's new strategy. The Chicago Sun-Times laid off its entire photo staff in 2013, deciding to use freelancers and to teach its reporters how to take photos with their iPhones.
Yes, they really said that. There are some reporters who can take decent photos, but that's like asking your plumber to do the rewiring work in your house.
A year later they ended up hiring back four of the laid-off photographers.