Sports Illustrated lays off six remaining staff photographers

Sports Illustrated, which has been beloved by sports fans for decades thanks to its photography, will be without staff photographers. The magazine has laid off all six of its remaining staff photographers.

Brad Smith, the magazine’s director of photography, told News Photographer magazine that there has been restructuring at several departments within the company. That included laying off Robert Beck, Simon Bruty, Bill Frakes, David E. Klutho, John W. McDonough, and Al Tielemans on Thursday.

“It's true," Smith told the magazine. “There was a decision made through the company to restructure various departments, including at Sports Illustrated. Unfortunately economic circumstances are such that it has cut the six staff photographers.”

Smith insisted that SI is still committed to photography, which has always been one of its hallmarks. Moving forward, the magazine will “re-evaluate what's best for the magazine, not just financially but also content-wise,” he said.

SI has faced other layoffs in the past. As The Huffington Post notes, other members of the photography staff were laid off in 2012.

In May 2013, the Chicago Sun-Times also laid off its entire staff of photojournalists to focus on multimedia.

The timing of SI’s layoffs is a bit strange though, since Super Bowl XLIX is on Feb. 1.

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