Photojournalism Ethics: "The Problem Seems To Be A Lot Deeper"

 

By Donald R. Winslow

© 2007 News Photographer magazine

PORTLAND, OR (June 1, 2007) – "History demands accuracy," a panel discussing recent photojournalism ethical incidents and the future of photojournalism ethics in the new world of multimedia said Friday at NPPA's Photojournalism Summit at the Lloyd Center in Portland.

"The photojournalism ethics problem seems to be a lot deeper than we feared," said John Long, NPPA's chairman of the Ethics & Standards Committee, after the audience of photojournalists, editors, managers, and educators were asked for a show of hands to reflect how many of them believe that they currently work with, or have worked with, peers who routinely cross ethical boundaries. "The show of hands was a scary thing to see."

The ethics panel, part of the program offered this week by NPPA at the Photojournalism Summit and Multimedia Immersion program, included Long and Dr. Julianne Newton, a visual journalism professor at the University of Oregon, and Kenny Irby, the visual journalism group leader and diversity program director for The Poynter Center for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, FL. The panel was moderated by Jack Zibluk, NPPA's vice president and a professor of photojournalism at Arkansas State University. Long is recently retired from a three-decade career at the Hartford Courant and has been NPPA's voice on photojournalism ethics for decades.

"We need to examine the ethical issues involved in 'photo opportunities,' in picture editing and design, and in graphics," Newton said. "Images affect memory, and behavior, and values. Images affect what you believe about yourself, about others, and about the world out there. Images are powerful, and visual ethics is about the appropriate use of powerful images."

For these and other reasons, Long responded, journalism is based on accuracy, including the accuracy of images. "If you can't use the picture as it is," Long said, "don't use it."

Long, who has watched the ethical and unethical practices of photojournalists and editors over many years, believes that ethics has now become a huge and still-growing issue for the profession. "Editorial control is being lost," Long said. "The problems we're having now are not just ethical violations by photojournalists. Now there are editors, designers, and others who are altering pictures. Photographers who alter photos get fired. But we're seeing editors and others who alter pictures, and there are no repercussions."

Long cited People magazine's recent decision to digitally alter a cover photograph from the Virginia Tech massacre to remove what they believed may have been the genitals of one of the shooting victims, when it fact the item was part of a tourniquet the student applied to stop the gunshot wound's bleeding. The decision to alter the image was made by People's top editors. "If they can't use the picture 'as is,' then don't use it. Use another picture," Long said.

Irby told the audience that there are two major concerns in the ethics decision making process. "Diversity, are we being accurate and inclusive about where we point cameras, and who we include and who we exclude; and journalistic integrity: are we as journalists keeping our own confidentiality?

"But the greatest challenge we're facing now is the arrogance of journalism," Irby said. "We're dealing with circumstances that require a new set of dynamic responses now that we're dealing with editors who are making these decisions to alter pictures."

"Ego gets in the way of true ethics education," Newton added. "The digital world has shown the public how easy it is for someone to manipulate what we show them. Studies have shown that college students today are less concerned about altering images because, to them, 'all images are subjective.' We need to find a way to enhance the intensity of how we educate the public [about ethics]. Professional journalists have the duty to put forth the best truth they can provide."

On Saturday, Long and Irby will receive NPPA's highest honor, the Joseph A. Sprague Award. The two veteran journalists are being recognized for their years of service to the profession as well as for their role in leading ethical discussions.

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