Craigslist Ad, Spoofed Screenshot Mock Sun-Times After Photographer Layoffs

craigslistad

The Chicago Sun-Times has raised quite a furor talking after unexpectedly laying off its entire photography staff yesterday. Everyone seems to have something to say about it, with some commentators calling it “a sign of the times,” while others are wondering whether the newspaper is trying to pull “a union-busting move.”

Los Angeles-based writer and comedian Jason Sereno decided to weigh in a different way: he created a tongue-in-cheek Craigslist job listing in Chicago.

The listing (screenshot here) is titled, “Chicago Sun-Times Needs iReporters,” and reads:

Quick question: What is an aperture?

Answer: Who gives a s**t?

Due to changes in the media landscape and an unwillingness to pay professional photographers for full-time employment, The Chicago Sun-Times is searching for iReporters to cover a wide variety of subjects and events around the city.

iReporter applicants should have basic video/photography skills, an automobile or CTA pass and a smart phone with at least 3G service. No journalism experience is required. In fact, any journalism experience will disqualify you for these unpaid positions.

To submit your application please respond via email with the following:

1. Model of smart phone you currently use
2. Any other models of phones you own or have access to [Do not list rotary phones or other land line models. We tried taking pictures with those and it didn’t work.]
3. A list of ten things more important to you than job security
4. A brief review of the new ‘Arrested Development’ episodes on Netflix
5. The names of three friends who may also be interested in iReporting

Applications will be reviewed in the order they are submitted; with the exception of applicants who have “vertical video” skills, which will be given priority.

Please address your application to Jason Sereno, Sun-Times iReporter Coordinator. [#]

Chicago-based media production editor Ian Arsenault had his own way of weighing in. After hearing the news, he tweeted, “Not a pretty picture at @Suntimes today,” and included this fake screenshot of the Sun-Times website:

spoofedscreenshot

(via Huffington Post)

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