Contest Judges Wrestle with Ethics of Winning Image

Statement from Maria Mann, Best of Photojournalism Committee Chair >>

Although the Executive Committee deliberated extensively on this issue, a consensus was not reached. Michael Sherer, NPPA Vice President in 2001-2002, chose to vote against publishing the image in question on both ethical and legal grounds.

The 2001 NPPA Best of Photojournalism contest has been judged and the winners announced. In the category of Domestic News (Newspaper) the First Place was awarded to Mike Urban of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in Seattle, Washington.

Issues surrounding the image entered by Mike Urban raised some important ethical questions. Addressing these questions/concerns resulted in an exhaustive investigation by members of the NPPA Best of Photojournalism contest committee. The task of the investigation was to resolve the main issue of publishing the image (which had not been published) as an award winner on the NPPA web site and for subsequent publication in the NPPA Best of Photojournalism book.

The decision to publish the Urban image was arrived upon after many meetings spanning the course of several hours and days. During our search for information we consulted with a sexual abused victim who now counsels, the Executive Editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Mike Urban.

The process followed by both the Best of Photojournalism Committee and NPPA Executive Committee (EC) was an in depth and collaborative one. The final recommendation made to the NPPA EC by members of Best of Photojournalism Committee in conjunction with the contest judges was to publish the image with the face of the woman in the image digitally manipulated. The manipulation was done in order to protect the identity of the victim. The decision to publish this powerful and thought provoking image is based on the basis to bring awareness to the event and to protect the identity of the female victim. It is important to note that the contest criteria for the selection of the image is different than the criteria used by the editors of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Here is the information from the NPPA Bylaws on which the EC based their decision:

Under section XVIII:

B. Purpose.
1. The National Press Photographers Association, a professional society dedicated to the advancement of photojournalism, acknowledges concern and respect for the public's natural-law, right to freedom in searching for the truth and the right to be informed truthfully and completely about public events and the world in which we live. NPPA believes that no report can be complete if it is possible to enhance and clarify the meaning of the words. We believe that pictures, whether used to depict news events as they actually happen, illustrate news that has happened, or to help explain anything of public interest, are indispensable means of keeping people accurately informed, that they help all people, young and old, to better understand any subject in the public domain. NPPA recognizes and acknowledges that photojournalists should at all times maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct in serving the public interest.

Clyde Mueller
NPPA President, 2001-2002