<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The adoption of digital technologies, along with current economic realities, has affected the entire process of visual news production. It has also influenced the traditional concept of photojournalism. As a result, news photographers face multiple new challenges. Although visual news material is becoming ever more important, news organizations have cut back on employment, leaving those few who remain employed with additional workload and responsibilities. Based on interviews with photojournalists and photo editors, this article examines the current state of photojournalism and editorial processes in three Central European countries – the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Findings indicate that photojournalists and photo editors face ongoing developments in the photographic medium that significantly affect their working practices and routines. At the same time, they must deal with increasing workload, new responsibilities, competition and the challenges of maintaining quality in the digital age.</p></abstract>

The adoption of digital technologies, along with current economic realities, has affected the entire process of visual news production. It has also influenced the traditional concept of photojournalism. As a result, news photographers face multiple new challenges. Although visual news material is becoming ever more important, news organizations have cut back on employment, leaving those few who remain employed with additional workload and responsibilities. Based on interviews with photojournalists and photo editors, this article examines the current state of photojournalism and editorial processes in three Central European countries – the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Findings indicate that photojournalists and photo editors face ongoing developments in the photographic medium that significantly affect their working practices and routines. At the same time, they must deal with increasing workload, new responsibilities, competition and the challenges of maintaining quality in the digital age.

Photojournalism in Central Europe

Nordicom Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"subtitle":"Editorial and Working Practices","article-title":"Photojournalism in Central Europe"}

The adoption of digital technologies, along with current economic realities, has affected the entire process of visual news production. It has also influenced...

	Photojournalists	Photo editors
Czech Republic	40	8
Poland	8	7
Slovakia	15	–
Total	63	15

	Photographers	Photo editors
Male (%)	91	67
Average age (years)	44	44
University degree (%)	27	36
Assignments for at least two media outlets (%)	44	27
Membership in professional organization (%)	23	13

Photojournalism in Central Europe

Published Online: Nov 28, 2017

Page range: 7 - 23

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2017-0411

Keywords
digitization, editorial processes, visual gatekeeping, visual journalism, cinematic way of shooting

© 2017 Filip Láb et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Number of interviewees and respondents

Identity and conditions of visual journalists

Photojournalism in Central Europe

Published Online: Nov 28, 2017

Page range: 7 - 23

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2017-0411

Keywordsdigitization, editorial processes, visual gatekeeping, visual journalism, cinematic way of shooting

© 2017 Filip Láb et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Number of interviewees and respondents

Identity and conditions of visual journalists

Keywords
digitization, editorial processes, visual gatekeeping, visual journalism, cinematic way of shooting