Seibert sees newsroom photography in a different light



Arizona Republic senior multimedia producer Dave Seibert speaks
for the Reynolds Institute at ASU's Cronkite School Tuesday

Dave Seibert's presentation on digital photography last Tuesday for the Reynolds Institute touched on a common theme in journalism discussions: the changing nature of the field.

For years (even since before the onset of the global recession) journalists have been discussing the need to adapt and create a more well-rounded skill set.

What is surprising, though, is the unequivocal, imperative manner in which journalists now describe the evolving field.

Seibert, a multimedia producer with the Arizona Republic, said that the Republic likely will "never hire a still photographer again."

Both Seibert and TucsonSentinel.com's Dylan Smith, who spoke later in the day, seemed to think the time to sit and wait for the journalism status quo to return is long gone. Future journalists must be well-rounded in everything, be it writing, photography, video or, perhaps in the future, holograms.

This is an interesting proposition, because at face value, it would seem to take the finesse out of the field. Reporters aren't wordsmiths, nor watchdogs or gatekeepers, but rather data gatherers and technicians. All the old rhetoric about the importance of the field has been cut away.

Yet, Seibert also found a silver lining in the fact that storytelling continues to play an important role regardless of the media. In fact, the technology that is available to reporters--be they journalists or citizen reporters--allows for an even more vibrant form of storytelling.

The potential for cross-platform storytelling is evidenced on the Republic's website, azcentral.com, where big stories like the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords include a variety of multimedia packages. Oftentimes, the Republic has collaborated with the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication on its multimedia packages.

Smith later echoed the theme of embracing the technology, going so far as to declare the print newspaper dead. Rather than try to dwell on what it takes away (the necessity of a print product), he colorfully encouraged journalism teachers and newsrooms alike to figure out what technology can add to the field of journalism.

But whether journalists must learn online skills to ensure their survival or just to tell better stories, there is no question that multimedia now plays an essential role in the field.

Ben Sellers
North Stafford High School
Stafford, Va.