Photojournalism Ethics

According to Kress & van Leeuwen (1998, p. 216), ‘different newspapers do [layout] in different ways and to different degrees, which relate to the nature of their readership and to the wider (national) cultural context’. However, cultural context may contradict with photojournalism ethics.

The advent of digital editing and publishing software becomes a serious issue in the industries of both journalism and photography. A news article ‘Orthodox Jewish paper apologises for Hillary Clinton deletion’ which was featured on The Guardian on 10 May 2011 reported that, Di Tzeitung, an Orthodox Jewish paper, ‘has apologized for digitally deleting an image of US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, from a photograph of Barack Obama and his staff monitoring the raid by navy Seals that killed Osama bin Laden’ (Associated Press 2011). Di Tzeitung explained that they are prohibited to publish women’s images due to their editorial policy and the Jewish laws of modesty.

The doctored image from Di Tzeitung:

Hillary Clinton and  the counterterrorism director, Audrey Tomason, were digitally removed (Seth Wenig/AP, cited in Associated Press 2011)

The original photo from The White House:

Hillary Clinton and Audrey Tomason were inside the original photo (The White House/Getty Images, cited in Associated Press 2011)

‘Each culture creates its own universe of symbolic meaning that structure and shapes the perception of reality which members of a specific clan or society experience’ (Winkler 2009, p. 5). In the case of Di Tzeitung, its action seems reasonable if audience views it from a cultural perspective. Yet, it has violated the ethics in photojournalism. As Bersak (2006, p. 5) clarifies, according to ‘the National Press Photographers Association’s Code of Ethics read, photographic and video images can reveal great truths … photographs can also cause great harm if they are callously intrusive or are manipulated’.

In order to understand texts or images, audience needs to acknowledge the visual and cultural context of the document. As Winkler (2009, p. 21) states, ‘the easiest way to generate understanding through images is when they pertain to very common and logical realities’. However, realistic images will still have a chance to be interpreted wrongly as there are different cultural realities in different societies. The audience who is not acquainted with the Orthodox Jewish culture may make meaning that the image is offensive to women. In response to the misinterpretation, Di Tzeitung has explained that the Jewish laws of modesty are actually respecting women.

Besides, it is essential for publications to obey the Code of Ethics in order to publish ethical article or image. An image is actually hard to define whether it ‘accurately represents the subject or … misleads the viewer’ (Bersak 2006, p. 7). Ethical practices can be different in different society; for example, under The New York Times Company Policy on Ethics in Journalism, ‘whatever the medium, we tell our audiences the complete, unvarnished truth as best we can learn it’ (The New York Times Company 2005). Publications should not conceal factual reality even though is because of cultural context. Any editing should maintain the honesty of the images’ content and context.

Many audiences still believe that camera captures reality. However, with the latest digital editing skills, the content and reality of a photo may be manipulated. Viewers and readers must have critical thinking and analysis when reviewing any photo or image.

On the other hand, according to PublicSource (2011), journalists should ‘never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations’. The statement above is one of the Code of Ethics which journalists from every publication should obey.

References:

Associated Press 2011, ‘Orthodox Jewish paper apologises for Hillary Clinton deletion
’, The Guardian, 10 May, viewed 5 November 2011, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/10/jewish-paper-apologises-hillary-clinton>.

Bersak, DR 2006, ‘Ethics in photojournalism: past, present, and future’, MSc thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, viewed 5 November 2011, <http://web.mit.edu/drb/Public/Bersak_CMS_Thesis_FINAL.pdf>.

Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T 1998, ‘Front pages: (the critical) analysis of newspaper layout’, in A Bell & P Garrett (eds), Approaches to media discourse, Blackwell, Oxford, pp. 186-219.

PublicSource 2011, Our editorial policies, viewed 5 November 2011, <http://publicsource.org/our-editorial-policies>.

The New York Times Company 2005, The New York Times Company Policy on Ethics in Journalism, viewed 5 November 2011, <http://www.nytco.com/press/ethics.html>.

Winkler, DR 2009, ‘Visual culture and visual communication in the context of globalization’, Visible Language, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 4-43, viewed 5 November 2011, <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?did=1703115691&Fmt=6&clientId=14273&RQT=309&VName=PQD>.