Understanding Involuntary Job Loss Among Former Newspaper Staff Photographers

This study examines former newspaper photographers\u27 experience with being laid-off from their staff positions. The purpose was to identify emerging themes within the context of involuntary job loss, job satisfaction, and occupational identity via interviews with 8 photojournalists who experienced the phenomenon of being laid-off. The newspaper industry has long been considered both the starting point for young and aspiring photojournalism careers and the most consistent and stable venue for an income. Yet recent changes in the media landscape, particularly economic stress on traditional business models and rapid adoption of digital technology sway the occupational future of photojournalism within newsrooms. The research method employed for this study includes in-depth interviews with a hermeneutical phenomenology approach focused on involuntary job loss, job satisfaction, and occupational identity