You know its a different world when the new TOS for Facebook makes the 11 o’clock news.

It seems that the new terms of service for Facebook is revisiting a smorgasbord of questions that have been brought up time and time again. But in a changing media world is it possibly time to rethink more than copyright and privacy??? I almost want to ask myself, “what would John Harrington say?” But then again I realize, that perhaps the media world has changed a billion light years from where his book and blog started.

After reading a blog post by Robb Montgomery discussing his removal of content from Facebook, I couldn’t help but feel a need to think out, or rethink, a bit about what the value really is for “residual” possible work these days.

Sure, the writers went to bat for it. And why shouldn’t they get payment for their work when it will be syndicated and replayed all over the world time and time again? But will it? Or has YouTube and peer-sharing torrents kind of put the limit on it? I don’t hear anyone say the TV is dying like they do the newspapers… But are they?

But when it comes to the average working journalist, photographer, videographer, etc., what really is this thing that we call residual any way, and especially in today’s media tuned in and 24 hr. connective world?

I have been dealing with this issue a lot lately when working with NGOs. The smaller ones don’t always have the money to pay. I get it. Your funds are allocated into your programs and you are just now thinking, “oh crap, I need media.” (Which in turn brings you more funds. So though I get it, come on, lets think a bit more long term here…)

I want to help them as much as I can to fight for their cause, but I have to live too. Equipment is expensive and these days I could USE some new gear. Not to even begin mentioning travel costs, insurance, and heck even just a samosa now and again. A girl’s still gotta eat!

These things may all seem unrelated, but are they? I think not.

First of all when it comes to 24/7 media how long does anything really have a “residual” value? And also, who posts things on Facebook that would? But who does it have a residual value to? The creator? The subject? Is the value in the image or in its ability to draw more attention and then in turn draw in more funding, or jobs, or attention, etc.?

All I am saying is that its time to rethink a lot of things about media. First of all in the photography world, both sides need to understand that we can’t have it all. I am not going to shoot something for little to nothing and give you all the rights to it. That’s just dumb business. But for the sake of playing devil’s advocate here; Who am I to charge you an arm and a leg for my coverage and then say you can use it only once and only where I say it’s ok.

Let’s face it, the news orgs that us “visual journalists” used to sell the stories to just aren’t in the market to run with it all right now. Layoffs are left and right and budgets are non-existent. I read so and so say every day online here or there, “we are dying”. For that matter every damn industry and sector in this economy is down. That doesn’t leave a lot of money to throw around in marketing, period. (Commercial, NGO, Media, all the outlets are draining)

But with all of this online content that millions and millions of people look at every minute, what’s really dying? It’s obvious that our business model is long gone, but why should the story-telling and the heart behind it, go with it???

I have always been drawn to this field to make a difference, to tell the stories to the world that I hoped they would see and hear. Now that the news outlets aren’t my target market, who is?

Its the people that are behind the stories, the NGOs working to make a difference in this world and that benefit from having that story out in the world. But if they can’t or won’t see the value in paying me, where does that leave any of us???  There is a need there. You need funding and I need funding to tell your story to get you funding. So why doesn’t that work out as easily as the sense that it seemingly makes?

I’m just one “visual journalist” screaming this in my head right now, or on my blog. I personally know of a handful of others that I have been having this same conversation with for several years now.

So how do we make it work? How do we make the stories and the images go back to having power? Not only their power to move the world, but power to keep the checkbook out of overdraft too? Hint Hint Hint…

I’m interested to hear what others think about all of this. I am always digging for inspiration on how to keep shooting the stories that move me, but also not to go broke doing it. Sure, I think about what it will be like in 30 years to ponder retirement with no money and no health insurance… What do you think about?