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APA
Advertising Photographers of America

ASMP
American Society of Media Photographers

EP
Editorial Photographers

PPA
Professional Photographers of America

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March 5, 2002

The New York Times Company
Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., Chairman
Russell T. Lewis, President, Chief Executive Officer
Michael Golden, Vice Chairman, Senior Vice President
John M. O'Brien, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Cynthia H. Augustine, Senior Vice President
Solomon B. Watson IV, Senior Vice President, Secretary
James C. Lessersohn, Vice President, Treasurer

The New York Times Newspaper
Howell Raines, Executive Editor
Gerald M. Boyd, Managing Editor
John M. Geddes, Deputy Managing Editor

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

The New York Times’ recent announcement of its decision to eliminate payments for digital capture and transmission fees is a sad commentary on the Times’ perception of fairness to its freelance photographer corps. Regardless of how the Times couches its action, the bottom line is that it has cut the rate of compensation to photographers by about thirty percent. It has done it in a way and at a time that has the most serious consequences. The economy is every bit as bad for photographers as it is for The New York Times, so your promise to consider an increase in the day rate when the economy improves is not reassuring.

With a thirty percent cut in fees there is a real question in the minds of many photographers whether they will still be in business when the economy improves. The reduced rate will not meet their minimum needs, much less afford them the ability to invest the capital in the equipment necessary for them to provide the services which you require. It is quite likely that you have taken an action that will force your suppliers to look for new clients and forgo future work with The New York Times. Maybe you feel secure in the belief that you can easily replace any such losses. Of course, you can always find another photographer, but when you find those willing to work for your diminished rates, you will probably find them ill-equipped to meet your needs. The cost of digital capability is many thousands of dollars. It could take as many as fifty assignments at the now eliminated digital fee to pay for one digital camera. Add the back-up camera, the computer gear software, high-speed Internet hookup, and you have a level of investment that no business can afford to make without seeking adequate compensation.

Prior to this new cut, you have been effectively cutting fees for years by insisting on greater usage of images without additional compensation, and by holding your assignment rate static for nearly two decades. Everyone’s costs have gone up over those years. The Times is paying everyone from the janitor to the CEO more money. Based upon the decline in value of today’s dollar compared to that of even a decade ago, your static fees amount to a pay cut, even without the elimination of the digital transmission fees. Isn’t it time to take your savings at someone else’s expense? Isn’t it time to demonstrate to photographers that they are more than just human fodder to feed the Times engine? Yes, it is. It is not too late to show some level of concern for those who labor to bring a view of the news and of life to your readers.

The New York Times is the greatest newspaper on earth. All of us want it to continue to be that. Photographers are invested in it, but they cannot afford to invest in it. Don’t make them finance your bad economic times. Restore the fees that you have cut. Better yet, increase your assignment fees to a level that reflects both the inflation of the past two decades, as well as photographers’ increased costs of doing business in the digital age.

We are prepared to assist you in developing fair terms and fees for transactions with your photographers, as well as in any effort you want to make to improve relations. Please, help us to help you.

Respectfully submitted by the listed officers for the boards of directors of:

APA - Advertising Photographers of America
Jeff Sedlik, President
Glen Wexler, Vice President
Tim Olive, Vice President
Stuart Schwartz, Vice President
Scott Montgomery, Treasurer
Deone Jahnke, Secretary

ASMP - American Society of Media Photographers
David Harp, President & Chairman of the Board
Robert Wiley, 1st Vice President
Scott Highton, 2nd Vice President
Stan Rowin, Treasurer
Woody Packard, Secretary

EP - Editorial Photographers
Seth Resnick, President
Paula Lerner, Vice President
Ed Caldwell, Treasurer
Shawn Henry, Secretary

PPA – Professional Photographers of America
Dominic Iodice, Chairman of the Board
Bill Stevenson, President
Bob Lloyd, Vice President/Treasurer

Replies to this letter should be sent for distribution to the above parties to:

Richard Weisgrau
Executive Director
ASMP
150 North Second Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106