ACBJ to Cut About a Dozen Staff Photographers

American City Business Journals will eliminate roughly a dozen full-time photography positions, with affected staff able to continue as freelancers.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Media

Professional camera with a long lens resting on an empty wooden desk in a plain, daylit office interior. — American City Business Journals will eliminate about a dozen full-time staff photography positions on Jan. 1, with affected photographers able to continue freelancing. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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American City Business Journals, which operates 45 business publications nationwide, is set to eliminate approximately a dozen staff photography positions on Jan. 1. Affected full-time photographers were told they could continue contributing as freelancers.

Why it matters

Many ACBJ publications already rely on freelancers or staff writers for photographs, and photographers remain listed on staff pages for several titles. The cuts reflect a broader contraction in U.S. newsroom employment, which fell 26% between 2008 and 2020.

ACBJ's roughly dozen staff photography cuts fall within a 26% decline in U.S. newsroom employment from 2008 to 2020. Newspaper newsroom jobs fell 57% over the same period, while digital-native outlets grew 144%.

The players

American City Business Journals

A nationwide network of 45 business publications headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, that is making the photography cuts.

McClatchy

A major U.S. newspaper chain whose layoffs affected more than 90 journalists across at least 13 newspapers in eight states.

The details

The positions are set to disappear on Jan. 1, and affected full-time photographers were told they could keep contributing as freelancers. Separately, the Minnesota Star Tribune eliminated 24 union jobs in June 2026, with no news-gathering roles affected.

Jan. 1: ACBJ staff photography positions set to disappear.
June 24, 2026: Minnesota Star Tribune eliminates 24 union jobs.
2008 to 2020: U.S. newsroom employment declines 26% across five news-producing industries.

Market Landscape

The photography cuts continue a 2008 to 2020 pattern in which U.S. newsroom employment fell 26% across five news-producing industries. Digital-native outlets grew 144% over the same span, shifting work toward freelance and online models.

Readers of ACBJ's business titles may see fewer staff-shot photographs as freelancers take on assignments. Photographers who accept freelance terms will continue producing images, but coverage may be less consistent across publications.

The takeaway

Staffing changes at business media can alter how local business stories are illustrated, so tracking freelance arrangements at ACBJ titles offers a clearer picture of coverage quality over the coming year.