PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKE ANOTHER HIT?

Is this more bad news for those making a living with their shutter fingers?

Webshots is an amateur photo-sharing site, where members post photos for the world to see. CNET, the on-line technology mag, bought Webshots for $70 million in July and CNET's recent article on Dell's plans to combat the iPod, includes a link to a gallery of photos of iPod users, all drawn from Webshots. Each of the photos links its creator's home page, and back to the CNET article.

This is partly pure cross-promotion, CNET pushing the Webshots brand to attract customers. It's partly a pale form of participatory journalism, where the work of the pros (the writers at CNET) is augmented by photographs from readers.

It could also be the wedge end of a trend that could open more doors to hobby photographers at the expense of professionals. There are millions of images floating around the web, a lot of them "captured" on such sites as Webshots, mac.com and the (excellent) Vancouver-based Flick'r.

They represent a huge pool of potential stock photographs, theoretically available to publishers for substantially less than the cost of a photographer, or buying from a stock agency. In fact, how many snap-shooters would be pleased to give away their photos for the thrill of seeing them "in print?" Or happy to be given free web storage in return for giving the host company the right to occasionally publish their photos?

Interesting questions for interesting times.

SOURCES: PJNet Today and Steve Rubel at Micro Persuasion.
10:45:57 PM  LINK TO THIS POST  

STILL GROWING

Latest count on podcasting from Google: 67,200. Remember, this started when Doc Searls reported there were 24 hits on Sept. 28 &mdash only 16 days ago.

Speaking of Searls, his excellent intro to podcasting (which he also calls DIY radio) is second on the list of Google's "podcasting" hits, right after the invaluable ipodder.org.
10:09:53 PM  LINK TO THIS POST  

DEFENDING PHOTOGRAPHY

According to German photography professor Rolf Nobel, magazines in his country are devaluing photography by replacing real photojournalism with PR handouts, stock photos and images culled from the internet. At editorsweblog.com, he's reported as saying:

These images affect the integrity and objectiveness of the media, he said. The PR images are not journalism and portray the world as public relations officers would like to see it.

The reason for the reliance on outside image sources? Cutting costs.

The original article on Nobel's criticism is here, in Dutch.
9:40:00 PM  LINK TO THIS POST  

PINPOINTING ERROR

Regret the Error is a new website that tracks newspaper corrections across North America. Today is the official first day for editor Craig Silverman's efforts (although there were a few previous posts), and there are details on corrections from the Cleveland Plains-Dealer, Los Angeles Times and even the Globe and Mail.

In an about-this-site posting, Silverman explains the reason for it all:

We're certain that the senior editorial staff at every newspaper takes corrections very seriously. The point, however, is that in many cases they don't treat them in a serious manner. That's why articles and reports keep getting written about correction policies, and one of the reasons why this site exists. (The other reason, of course, is that corrections are often downright fascinating or unintentionally hilarious.)

Shining a light on how newspapers correct their errors is a valuable public service. And a reminder of our fallibility and the need to deal with it openly and honestly.
9:20:21 PM  LINK TO THIS POST