Date of Award

Spring 5-2019

Degree Type

Honors College Thesis

Department

Mass Communication and Journalism

First Advisor

David Davies

Advisor Department

Mass Communication and Journalism

Abstract

Photography and the photojournalism profession [HR1] is ever-changing due to the Internet. Technological advances allow photographers to use the Internet to their and their publication’s advantage. Along with positive effects of the Internet, there are also negative consequences. The positive and negative aspects intertwine, and it can be difficult for photojournalists to do their jobs due to the negative consequences. This study focused on these positive and negative effects, as well as the personal tolls that photojournalists continue to face daily. The aim of this study was to determine the positive and negative effects of the Internet on photojournalism through a qualitative analysis by interviewing a dozen photojournalists and utilizing information from other databases. The subjects were asked a series of questions that focused on how the Internet is changing the work of photojournalists and the profession as a whole. This study will provide a better understanding of whether photojournalists have had to change their profession because of technological advances and the Internet. Ultimately, the photojournalists agreed that while the Internet is a great tool for photographers to use, there are harmful effects to the profession and the job of a photojournalist. These include others stealing photographers’ images, the manipulation of photos through editing software, and a decline in compensation. The art form of photojournalism is fading due to the Internet. In order to further communicate with people through photographs, photojournalists must cope with the negative effects of the Internet; the photojournalists interviewed in this study discussed how they do so.

Included in

Photography Commons

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