Bits Blog: The Death of Photography Has Been Greatly Exaggerated

Chang W. Lee/The New York Times Fourth of July fireworks over the Hudson River in 2009.

10:07 p.m. | Updated to clarify the link to the black-and-white photograph from The Daily News of the 1986 Fourth of July celebrations.

The Fourth of July celebration this year was very different for Americans who use social media. Last year, as the fireworks burst in the air, people pulled out their smartphones and snapped still pictures. This year, they had a new tool in their life-documenting arsenal: video.

Over the last several months, a number of short video services have moved into the mainstream, including Vine, which allows people to record six-second videos, and Instagram, which introduced 15-second videos last month.

People are clearly using these services. Anyone who visited a social network stream on Thursday night would have seen endless videos of pops and sparkles in the air.

For years, photographers have been bracing for this moment, warned that the last rites will be read for photography when video technology becomes good enough for anyone to record. But as this Fourth of July showed me, I think the reports of the death of photography have been greatly exaggerated.

There are several reasons for this. First and foremost, there is the creation side, where taking a pretty still image – especially with a fancy filter — is a lot easier than creating a stunning video. Ask videographers, and they will tell you that shooting beautiful videos is really, really hard.

But the real reason photos aren’t going to be eclipsed by video is because of the way the human mind works.

“One of the things we love about the still image is the way in which it can stimulate the imagination to create a fiction around an image,” said Robin Kelsey, a professor of photography at Harvard. “The fact that we can commit a single image to memory in a way that we cannot with video is a big reason photography is still used so much today.”

Video is difficult to commit to memory. We tend to remember snapshots of a moving sequence of images, rather than the entire sequence.

Karim Nader, a neuroscientist at McGill University in Montreal, describes the way people remember things as “flashbulb memories.” He argues that “the brain’s memory system works something like a pen and notebook.”

Think about a profound moment in history: Sept. 11, 2001. The Hindenburg disaster. Barack Obama becoming the first African-American president of the United States. If you remember these events, there is a likely chance that you will recall a photo of the point, not the moving image, or video, of the moment.

Mr. Kelsey said the perfect example of this can be seen with the photo “Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima” by Joe Rosenthal, a photographer for The Associated Press. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who does not remember that iconic image, even today.

“There was film taken of the same scene at Iwo Jima that doesn’t bear any consideration,” Mr. Kelsey said. “Part of what makes that photo so extraordinary is all the contingent circumstances: It was the perfect moment. When you see all the moments on one side or the other, or moving, it looks banal, it drains away the magic of the moment.”

When I sat down on the couch last night at the end of the day to see what wonders people had documented on their smartphones and then posted online, I saw a lot of ephemeral videos of fireworks that I watched once and then continued on my way. But I did see one image that was being shared repeatedly on Facebook and Twitter that wasn’t a video on Vine, Instagram or YouTube.

Instead, it was a black and white photo (found here in the midst of a slideshow) taken by a Daily News photographer on July 4, 1986, of fireworks illuminating the Statue of Liberty during her 100th birthday celebration.

Something tells me that 100 years from now, we’ll still be sharing that photo on the Fourth of July, or one like it, not a futuristic video of the day.

Digital Diary: Instagram Video and the Death of Fantasy

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Death Is Only The Beginning - Movie Trailer

This short action film is revolved around a Kung Fu fighter named Joseph Shields. Joseph is training to become one of the best fighters to ever practice the deadly art of Kung Fu. He will soon be put to the ultimate test when he is faced with a life and death battle.

Stakk Money Films & RyVisions present the first official trailer for the film "Death Is Only The Beginning."

Shot & Edited by Ryvisions

After Death of Sattar Beheshti, Iranian Blogger, Head of Tehran’s Cybercrimes Unit Is Fired

The dismissal of the commander, Gen. Saeed Shokrian, follows investigations by Parliament and Iran’s judiciary into the unexplained death of the blogger, Sattar Beheshti, 35, who died in early November just a few days after being arrested by the cybercrimes police unit, known here as FATA.

“Tehran’s FATA should be held responsible for the death of Sattar Beheshti,” said Iran’s national police chief, Ismael Ahmadi-Moqaddam, according to the Iranian Labor News Agency.

It is unclear whether General Shokrian will also face judicial charges over the blogger’s death.

The public nature of his dismissal suggests that he will bear most of the responsibility for the death. In similar cases in the past, officials have been punished, but it is rare for them to be named and publicly dismissed on the same day.

Mr. Beheshti’s Web site, My Life for My Iran, criticized Iran’s financial contributions to the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. Mr. Beheshti posted pictures of Lebanese youths having parties alongside images of Iranians living in poverty.

The exact cause of Mr. Beheshti’s death remains murky. Mr. Ahmadi-Moqaddam said Tuesday that investigations had ruled out torture as a cause of death, saying it was possible that Mr. Beheshti, who in pictures looks big and strong, died of “psychological shock.”

Iranian activists and bloggers say Mr. Beheshti died of injuries following beatings. Iran’s judiciary spokesman, Gholam Hussein Mohseni-Ejei, recently admitted that Mr. Beheshti — while in prison — had lodged a written complaint against an interrogator, in which he accused the man of having beaten him during his detention in Tehran’s Evin prison.

“I, Sattar Beheshti, was arrested by FATA and beaten and tortured with multiple blows to my head and body,” read the document, published by the opposition Kalame Web site. He added, “If anything happens to me, the police are responsible.”

Mr. Ahmadi-Moqaddam said that Mr. Beheshti was given tranquilizers while in the prison’s clinic, but that when handed over to the cybercrimes unit its officers denied him the same tranquilizers. “This might be regarded as neglect,” he said. “However, there were no signs of beatings on his body.”

Official statements on the cause of death have been contradictory. An influential member of Parliament who earlier denied that Mr. Beheshti had been tortured in any way told the Tabnak Web site that the blogger had been beaten, but died of shock and fear.

“Definitely he was beaten inside the FATA detention center,” the lawmaker, Alaeddin Borujerdi, told the Web site, “but he didn’t die as a result of these beatings.” He also stressed that the cybercrimes unit must change the way it deals with prisoners.

Iranian activists who have been in contact with Mr. Beheshti’s family say his relatives were not allowed to see his body before a hurried funeral on Nov. 6 in his hometown, Robat Karim, 30 miles southwest of the capital, Tehran.

In Mr. Beheshti’s final post, on Oct. 29, a day before his arrest, he said he was being threatened by security officials. “They told me that if I didn’t close my big mouth my mother should prepare to wear black clothes,” for mourning.

The Iranian Parliament’s special investigator into the case, Mehdi Davatgari, said he welcomed the commander’s removal. “This move shows the civil rights of our citizens are our top priority,” he said.

Get Well? Fidel Castro Suffers Massive Stroke, Doctors Say He’s Close To Death And Give Him Weeks To Live!

Is this the end of an era?

Via TMZ reports:

Fidel Castro has reportedly suffered an embolic stroke … and his health is so bad, the 86-year-old former leader of Cuba can barely eat, speak or recognize people.

The news is being reported by El Nuevo Herald, which says it spoke with Jose Marquina — “a respected doctor” who assured the paper he has firsthand sources and information about Castro.

The doctor told the Herald, “[Castro] could last weeks like that, but what I can say is that we’ll never again see him in public.”

The last time Castro was seen out in public was back in March — when Pope Benedict XVI visited Cuba.

Who knows what kind of power struggle Castro’s death will bring about, but for the sake of the people of Cuba we hope the transition is a peaceful one.

14 Year Old Charged For Her Newborn's Death

Johnny Lewis Beat, Dismembered Cat To Death

Johnny Lewis
Beat, Dismembered
CAT
Johnny Lewis murdered his landlady and then fell to his death -- but he also viciously took the life of the landlady's cat by beating it to death and DISMEMBERING it in the process ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story that Lewis -- who appeared on "Sons of Anarchy" -- seemed to be on PCP or meth, because he had exhibited superhuman strength as he fought two neighbors immediately after committing murder.

Law enforcement sources tell us Lewis went wild on landlady Catherine Davis' cat ... kicking and beating the life out of the animal and "tearing it apart." Law enforcement tells us Lewis did NOT use a weapon, but rather his bare hands and feet.

Lewis is the only suspect in the murder and cat killing. We're told cops are confident -- Lewis was the culprit. 

Johnny Lewis Murder — Death House was Crash Pad for HUGE Stars

Johnny Lewis Murder
Death Home was Crash Pad for HUGE Stars
"Sons of Anarchy" star Johnny Lewis didn't just murder a landlord when he beat 81-year-old Catherine Davis to death ... he killed a Hollywood legend who rented out her home to some of the biggest stars in show biz ... TMZ has learned.

The home -- located in Los Feliz, CA -- is known as the "Writer's Villa" ... and before it became a crime scene, it was touted as a giant Bed and Breakfast-style property composed of 5 suites and a guesthouse which rented out for $1,650 to $3,000 per month.

Because of its prime location right near the famous Hollywood sign, the home was a favorite for celebrities of all sorts ... including:

-- Thomas Jane ("Hung," The Punisher")
-- Chris Parnell ("SNL," "30 Rock)
-- Parker Posey (all sorts of indie flicks)
-- Paula Poundstone (comedian)
-- Matt Bomer ("Chuck," "White Collar")

TMZ broke the story, Lewis killed Davis and himself at the Writer's Villa early Wednesday morning. Cops also believe Davis beat and dismembered Catherine's cat, Jessie.

It's unclear who will take control of the home.

Cashout Disses Chief Keef

Noted: Celebrity Hoax Death Reports

Word of Mr. Danza’s demise circulated this month when a shady news source called Global Associated News ran a story saying he “died while filming in New Zealand,” having fallen “more than 60 feet to his death on the Kauri Cliffs.”

Mr. Danza’s appearance on the “Today” show, where he was promoting a new book, helped put that rumor to rest.

But in an age of Twitter and microblogging platforms, celebrity death hoaxes have become yet another pitfall of fame. Other celebrities to have “died” in recent weeks include Morgan Freeman (artery rupture), 50 Cent (private plane crash), Eddie Murphy (snowboarding accident) and Jerry Springer (auto accident).

In each case, they were hoaxes created by a user for no clear reason other than entertainment. Mark Bell, an adjunct professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, who studies deception in digital media, likened the hoaxes to childhood pranks.

“People like to lie,” he said. “They get a thrill from it. There is a little hit of dopamine when you lie, especially a lie that is believed by somebody else.”

Many of the fake deaths, including Mr. Danza’s, were generated on Fake a Wish, a Web site that promotes a “celebrity fake news hoax generator” that allows anyone to create a baseless story attributed to Global Associated News.

The pranks aren’t victimless. Mr. Springer was told that he died while driving a friend’s vehicle on a highway. He immediately checked in with his family. “My wife couldn’t read it,” he said. “It was just too difficult for her.”

Celebrity death hoaxes are not new. Mr. Bell pointed to the rumors surrounding Mark Twain in 1897, to which he famously responded, “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” What’s different today, he said, is the ease and speed with which such rumors can be created and circulated.

Often, all it takes is a Twitter hashtag or Facebook page to set a hoax in motion, as has happened to Bill Cosby, Jon Bon Jovi and Justin Bieber, who over the years has been shot in nightclubs, died in car crashes and overdosed on drugs.

“There’s not a lot of cost, either financially, morally, legally or criminally in doing this,” Mr. Bell said.

Death hoax victims aren’t limited to humans. Boo, a fluffy Pomeranian with more than 5.3 million Facebook fans, was said to have died in a Twitter message posted by Sam Biddle, a writer for the technology blog Gizmodo.

Mr. Biddle said that the message was mostly just a joke aimed at colleagues and that he “had zero expectation of it actually turning into a certifiable death rumor.” But soon, it was reposted and took on a life of its own.

April Whitney, Boo’s publicist at Chronicle Books, which has published a book about the dog, said the news was “like walking into your house and realizing you’ve been robbed.” But she admitted that the hoax may have attracted new fans and sold books. “It actually ended up helping a little bit at the end,” she said.

A Major Death in Store for Thor 2?

Major Death in Store for Thor: The Dark World? - IGN var IGN = IGN || {}; IGN.pagetype = "article"; var igndrones = igndrones || {};igndrones.async = igndrones.async || [];igndrones.async.push(function() { igndrones.init({"audience":{"csid":"C07583","property":"ign","object1_id":107503,"pagetype":"article","topic_movies":"yes"},"chartbeat":{"uid":"21105","domain":"ign.com","authors":"Jim Vejvoda","sections":"Desktop Web,articles"},"comscore":{"c2":"3000068"},"exelate":{"p":"373","g":"001","c":"901810","ctg":"movies"},"ga":{"account_number":"UA-23541058-1","_setDomainName":".ign.com","custom_vars":[[1,"pagetype","article",3],[2,"object-id","107503",3],[3,"article-id","50537d30e20c47c84a52c960",3],[4,"content-title","Major Death in Store for Thor: The Dark World?",3],[5,"author","Jim Vejvoda",3],[6,"publish-date","2012-09-14",3],[7,"article-type","news",3],[12,"categories","comics.ign.movies",3],[13,"tags","anthony-hopkins.characters.marvel.movies.odin-marvel.people.thor-the-dark-world",3],[15,"action","articleview",3],[16,"controller","v2articles",3],[17,"module","default",3],[18,"resource","articles",3],[20,"is-community","no",3],[21,"signed-in","no",2],[22,"subscriber","no",1],[30,"object-name","Thor: The Dark World",3],[31,"object-type","movies",3]]},"linksmart":{"site_guid":"e8001434aabca750c585a401b7ccebf4adefde9ccece2151f848d46543c18009"}}); igndrones.fireTop();});SugarAds.adsData = {"adsDisabled":"false","dfp_network":"5691","dfp_adunit1":"IGN","resource":"articles","pagetype":"article","tags":["anthony-hopkins","characters","marvel","movies","odin-marvel","people","thor-the-dark-world"],"article_types":["news"],"categories":["comics","ign","movies"],"route":"articles","year":"2012","article_id":"50537d30e20c47c84a52c960","object1_id":[107503,912248,14300618]};SugarAds.renderAds(["prestitial","728x90","300x250","featured","side300x250","s728x90","2x2"]); Prime Newsfeed Latest View My Newsfeed » Pick Your PlayStation Representative Xbox 360 PS3 Wii U PC Vita 3DS iPhone Tech Movies TV Comics Reviews Wikis & Cheats Upcoming News Videos Boards IPL Blogs Podcasts Blu-ray Games Sites Stars Major Death in Store for Thor: The Dark World? Rumor has it that the Grim Reaper is headed to Asgard. by Jim Vejvoda September 14, 2012

Marvel Comics fans learned this week of the death of a superhero in the comics. Now it appears that death is also coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

We're putting a big ol' SPOILER ALERT here in case this rumor pans out.

Still here?

You're sure, right?

OK, well, don't blame us then.

Bleeding Cool reports that the All-Father himself, Odin (played by Sir Anthony Hopkins), might very well perish in Thor: The Dark World, which is now filming in England.

Obviously, this is just a rumor for now, but considering Odin was killed off in the comics then the film following suit shouldn't be that shocking.

by Jim Vejvoda Latest IGN Videos Borderlands 2 Multiplayer Gameplay - Local Co-Op Mode Commentary #dsq-content #dsq-topbar{ display:none !important; } #dsq-content a.dsq-bar-reply{ display: none !important; } #dsq-content #dsq-new-post.dsq-unauthenticated{ display:none; } You must be logged in to post a comment.

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Why Death Still Matters in Superhero Comics

Spoilers for Avengers vs. X-Men #11 within.

As far as I’m concerned, there are only two certainties in life. One is that we will all die. Eventually (sorry). The other, less grim, certainty is that death in superhero comics is a revolving door. It always has been and it always will be, regardless of what the current mandate is. But that’s not a bad thing.

Anytime a major character kicks the bucket like (last chance to avoid spoilers) Professor X did this week in Avengers vs. X-Men #11, inevitably the reaction from longtime fans – particularly ones that have seen Xavier die many times before – is understandably riddled with frustration. But I would argue that death and resurrection in and of themselves shouldn’t be scoffed at. In fact, they should be celebrated as something that makes comics as wonderful as they are.

I think we can all agree that superhero comics are power fantasies. The escapism that forms the core of these books is based around the characters’ abilities to circumvent the rules of physics and do things we’ll never be able to: flight, super-strength, x-ray vision, telepathy, shape-shifting, and time travel, the list goes on and on. These things are all welcomed with open arms. But what about that one great big inevitability that we’re all faced with? What greater superpower is there than cheating death? It doesn’t compute that as readers, we can willfully accept people from other planets punching giant robots or mutants so powerful that they can destroy universes, but coming back from the great beyond is a bit too far-fetched.

The usual argument is that when death is used as a device too often it loses its impact. However, that shouldn’t be a blanket statement; it’s not a given. There are instances of that happening, of course, but the impact of a death falls on the lap of the creators that are handling it. Bucky Barnes was always one of the “untouchable” few that could never, ever return from the dead. But when Ed Brubaker brought him back, he wound up as a fan-favorite. That’s an incredible example of what death and resurrection can do; Bucky’s return was a storytelling triumph against all expectations.

I really don’t think the fact a particular death has occurred before necessarily affects the impact of the most recent occurrence. It all comes down to how the creators and editorial staff plan on using that death and what implications it will have on the characters left standing. In the case of Xavier, Bendis said it best in our interview with him: “We started talking about why Xavier had outgrown the X-Men franchise. He wasn't really part of it. I thought that was interesting. Is he more interesting now in death than he was in life? Does the idea of him being sacrificed to all of this make the X-Men as characters that much more interesting? And if so, what kinds of stories can we get out of it? And that's when the serious talks started happening."

Read our full interview with Brian Bendis about Professor X's death!

As tied to the X-Men as Xavier is, in recent years, he hasn’t been doing much. Where do you draw the line between respecting legacy and promoting progression? I’m not saying Xavier won’t ever come back, but for now, his absence makes for better potential stories than his existence. How will Cyclops react to his own actions once he’s free of the Phoenix? What will the original X-Men think of the situation when they time travel to the present day in All-New X-Men? Xavier’s death was a sacrifice not only in the context of battle, but also a sacrifice to the narrative as a means to push the characters around him to a different place.

The real miracle is that, when his current death has been explored and the storytelling exhausted, he can come back to a whole different world and thus open up new story possibilities. Because comics say that’s okay. Death and resurrection is part of what makes superhero comics unique; it’s a contributing factor to keeping these stories continuing for 75+ years. Instead of chastising a publisher just for killing a character, we should think about how that event could affect the universe and let it unfold. If it turns out to be pointless, then by all means, complain away.

Readers tend to follow characters and not the creative talent (which is a terrible thing to do, and here’s why), it’s easy to forget that it’s not as if the same people that killed Xavier 20 years ago are killing him again now. With different people running the show, the universe is different, and his death in 2012 will have a different impact than his death did in any past incarnation.

The larger problem, I think, is the way that publishers use these deaths to grab headlines. I’m not talking about the comic book sites that routinely cover the industry on a day-to-day basis. I’m talking about major news outlets that only cover comics when something of this magnitude occurs. I’m 100% for comics publishers snagging mainstream attention – the industry needs it – but issuing press releases that spoil the story actually lessens the impact of the event. The attention is then centered on the "gimmick" of death rather than the implications in the story.

Compare the amount of discussion about the narrative itself in the New York Daily News article that broke the news to those of comic book websites that cover this stuff day in and day out, you’ll see a stark contrast. The news shouldn’t be another death in comics. That’s nothing new. The news should be talking about why this one is unique and how it will move the universe forward into new places.

The language of comic books has a great many assets; sound effects, use of gutter space, lettering technique, the juxtaposition of words and pictures, and, in the case of superhero comics, death and resurrection. Just like we embrace all the quirks of the comics medium, so too should we embrace this one that’s traditionally been frowned upon.

Superman died and came back, but from it we were given fan-favorite characters like Kon-El and Steel (not to mention mullet Supes). Batman died and came back and we got to see Dick Grayson take the mantle. Captain America died and came back and we got to see Bucky atone for his past since as the Winter Soldier, cementing his role as an integral member of the Marvel Universe.

Death itself in superhero comics might not be permanent, but its impact on the characters often is, and in the end, that’s what matters.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.

Darksiders II: Death Comes to Wii U

Third party games coming to Wii U at launch face a series of critical tests if they're to be considered viable, particularly considering many of them are being ported to Nintendo's platform weeks if not months after their counterparts. They need to be feature complete, possibly even exceeding what we've seen before. They also need to embrace the dual, touch-screen experiment, attempting to offer a different, potentially better experience than what gamers have seen elsewhere. In many respects Darksiders II for Wii U meets these criteria, but in some ways this port also stands as proof that developers will need some time before they find the proper ways to innovate on Nintendo's unique console.

On the surface, Darksiders II on Wii U is packed with content. There's nothing here that isn't offered in some fashion elsewhere, but it aggregates everything that's been available through a myriad of retail pre-order and community downloads. Effectively there was little way to acquire all of this material save for purchasing several versions of the game - until now.

That means the Angel of Death weaponry (a Best Buy offer) or the Deadly Despair speed boost for your horse (an Amazon offer) will now be available to you on Wii U, free of charge. The Maker's Armor, Shadow of Death Armor, Crucible Mode and a variety of community content will be added as well. Vigil is also building the first wave of downloadable content - Argul's Tomb - into this port, adding another 2-3 hours of content into an already gigantic game. The developer also plans to continue DLC support for the Wii U version down the road.

Visually Darksiders II seems to be on track to meet the bar set by its counterparts. The area of the game we played was still in development, and therefore featured more bugs and frame rate issues than would be typical. Still, on the whole, the Wii U version seemed to match our established expectations - no more, no less. Smaller details, including using the GamePad's set of speakers to isolate some sounds, attempting to create a depth effect, were reasonably effective albeit not overwhelmingly necessary.

So in terms of content and general fidelity, Nintendo fans should rest easy. Darksiders II on Wii U will match up with any other version. The final hurdle that remains, then, is this - does this port, which arrives months after its counterparts, find a way to innovate or create an experience that can't be replicated? Can Nintendo's GamePad change the way we play an action-adventure game full of weapons, loot, vast dungeons and an upgradeable hero? The answer is yes - but it's easy to see how more can be done.

By far the most intriguing element of this Wii U port is what portions of the game are displayed on the GamePad's second screen - and how you can interact with them. By default, the GamePad's screen displays a real-time map that indicates Death's location and movement - no pausing necessary. Objectives can also be called up with a simple touch. For a game that frequently challenges players with twisted labyrinths, this is a huge, huge addition, streamlining an experience that can often start and stop all too often.

Vigil doesn't just stop with an in-game map. By touching an icon on the second screen, players can access inventory and weaponry. In a strange choice, however, players must press a physical button - down on the D-Pad - to access powers and abilities. These commands can be executed on the fly in battle, but all previous button shortcuts (pressing LB and an assigned button, for example) are still applicable. This port of the game doesn't eliminate options, it adds them. Some of the user interface specifics are a little cumbersome (particularly that D-Pad input), but after a bit of time we were used to it.

Not all touch-enabled options are done without pausing. Players will be able to upgrade Death's skills, and access other options through the GamePad, but in-game action will halt so players can focus on more time-intensive operations.

Far less significant, Vigil has also implemented gyroscope-based dodge controls into this Wii U port. They do not replace button commands, and for that we are thankful - attempting to shake a GamePad to evade attacks is probably one of the more clumsy things we've encountered on the new system. Again, it's optional, and here's hoping developers don't think of this new controller as an elaborate Wii remote. It isn't, and shouldn't be treated like one.

By and large what a small, 15-member team in Montreal is doing for the Wii U version of Darksiders II is commendable. Coming a few months after the other iterations of the game, this port not only features every last bit of content available to consumers previously, it also features extremely useful in-game displays that will allow players to seamlessly interact with inventory, skills, abilities and maps, often without pausing anything. These enhancements sounds small, yet they shift the experience in a fairly critical way. Furthermore, the team intends to allow the game to be pulled entirely to the GamePad, though that functionality wasn't available in the build we played.

It's rare to see a game as deep or complex as Darksiders II arrive at a system launch. For those looking for that kind of grand adventure, who haven't touched any of the previous versions, this could be well worth your time. And it's also clear that there is plenty more potential in what a dual-screen console can bring to this genre - even if it's a port.

Rich is an Executive Editor of IGN.com and the leader of IGN's Nintendo team. He also watches over all things WWE, Resident Evil, Assassin's Creed and much more. Follow him on Twitter, if you dare!

Bits Blog: No 'Death Spiral' for RIM, Chief Executive Says

Geoff Robins/ReutersThorsten Heins, chief of Research In Motion.

OTTAWA — The share price of Research In Motion is down by about 95 percent, and the company posted a $512 million quarterly loss last week before announcing a delay in a new phone on which it has staked its future. But in a radio interview on Tuesday morning, Thorsten Heins, the chief executive of the BlackBerry maker, said “there’s nothing wrong with the company as it exists right now.”

After last week’s announcement of the worse-than-expected financial results and the delay of the new BlackBerry 10 line to 2013, several analysts questioned RIM’s ability to stay in business. But during the interview, with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Heins rejected that analysis as well as suggestions that his optimistic outlook is disconnected from reality.

“This company is not ignoring the world out there nor is it in a death spiral,” he said. “Yes, it is very, very challenged at the moment, specifically in the U.S. market.” He added, “The way I would describe it: This company is really in the middle of a transition. We know what we’re doing; we’re executing on our programs.”

Mr. Heins also announced last week that RIM would lay off about 5,000 of its 16,500 employees. While he said the layoffs would have no impact on the introduction of BlackBerry 10 — a phone and operating system that RIM hoped would again make it an effective competitor in the smartphone market — there were widespread concerns that employees involved in that project would view RIM as a lost cause and start looking for work elsewhere.

This is the second major delay in the introduction of BlackBerry 10. The announcement contradicted earlier, unqualified assertions from Mr. Heins that production of the new phones was on schedule and that they would be released on time.

In the radio interview, Mr. Heins, a former Siemens executive who ran RIM’s handset business until January, blamed the delay on the sheer volume of software that must be processed by RIM’s development group — the same reason he stated in the announcement last week. But he offered no explanation for why that burden was not apparent earlier this year.

“Software development is always a huge task,” he said.