Slides for Class #22, Nov. 22, 2016

1. JOURNALISM ETHICS & ISSUES
CLASS #22 | JRNL 4650 | FALL 2016
• Instructor: Bill Mitchell
• bmitch (at) gmail (dot) com
• 727-641-9407
• 22 November 2016 | Northeastern Univ.
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2. WHAT WE’LL DO TODAY
• Review of Foreman Chapter 19: Issues specific to visual
journalism
• Discussion with Cristela Guerra
• Upcoming assignments
• Reminder: Advancing a story assignment due end of day
Tuesday Nov. 29
• After class: Opportunity to discuss Advancing a Story or your
final papers (Deadline extended to end of day Dec. 12)
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3. SOME WAYS TO ADVANCE A STORY
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• Correct something (include documentation of the
original error, your efforts to get it corrected – by email,
Twitter, etc. – and what, if anything resulted)
• Suggest a new angle or follow-up in a comment
attached to the article, phone conversation with the
reporter, etc. (include documentation or, in the case of
phone conversation, description of your interaction)

4. SOME WAYS TO ADVANCE A STORY,
CONTINUED
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• Use the original story as a peg or jumping off point
to write your own story or blog post
• Alert a policy-maker to a story you believe helps
make the case for or against a public policy you’d like
enacted or avoided
• Initiate a conversation on social media or elsewhere
about a story you regard as worthy of further
consideration

5. HOW TO ADVANCE THIS STORY?
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6. EXAMPLES OF READERS
ADVANCING A STORY
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7. EXAMPLES OF READERS
ADVANCING A STORY, CONT.
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8. CHAPTER 19
Ethics Issues
Specific to Visual
Journalism
Following slides from Wiley & Sons Instructor Resources

9. A HISTORY OF DISTORTION
• Photographic distortion may be easier in the
digital age, but it is not a new phenomenon.
• Photography was invented in 1839–40.
• The first instance of distortion – a faked
photograph – appeared in the same period.

10. FIRST KNOWN EXAMPLE
OF A FAKED PHOTO
10From Hoaxes.org

11. TWO WAYS TO DECEIVE
• Stage-managing the scene being
photographed.
• Altering the content or context of an
otherwise authentic photograph.

12. BRIAN WALSKI’S COMPOSITE IMAGE
FROM IRAQ, 2003
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Photo of Times front page from slate.com

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Compiled by Bronx Documentary Center

14. STANDARDS FOR STILL
PHOTOS
The consensus standard is a zero tolerance of
digital manipulation in news photographs, no
matter how benign. Here’s why:
• “Zero” is easily understood and inflexible.
• A flexible standard would lead to a slippery
slope.

15. PERMISSIBLE ADJUSTMENTS
• The consensus allows “burning,” “dodging,”
and “toning.”
• The purpose is to help the audience see what
the photographer saw.

16. POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS
• Posed photographs are acceptable if the
posing is obvious.
• An example: Photographing an automobile
executive in front of the assembly line.

17. PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS
• A photo illustration is “a work of fictional
imagery,” often seen in food and fashion
photography.
• It should be self-evident; readers should
know that what they are seeing is not real.
• In journalism, the concept of photo
illustrations remains controversial.

18. “PHOTO ILLUSTRATION”
OF REAGAN’S TEAR
TIME, 2007
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19. MAGAZINE COVERS
• For their cover photos, magazine art
directors routinely depart from the standards
of documentary photography.
• Are these cover photos journalism, or are
they merely commercial devices?

20. STANDARDS IN NEWS VIDEO
• Don’t add sounds that did not exist in the
original.
• Add music judiciously.
• Be careful about slow motion and other
special effects.

21. POSING IN NEWS VIDEO
Stage-managing standards are looser than in
print. There are three kinds of posing:
• for convenience of editing;
• for convenience of time;
• for convenience of story.

22. OFFENSIVE CONTENT IN
PHOTOS
The audience reacts negatively to:
• graphic violence;
• dead bodies;
• nudity;
• indecent behavior;
• perceived invasion of privacy;
• juveniles performing dangerous acts.

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26. FACTORS TO CONSIDER
• The scale of the event. The bigger the event,
the less likely the audience will be offended.
• Who is involved. The audience objects to
perceived embarrassment of ordinary people
thrust into the news, and to graphic photos in
which the person pictured does not survive.

27. REAL-TIME EXPLANATIONS
• Some journalists add to graphic photos an
explanation of why they think the public
should see them.
• Pro: It’s a matter of accountability and
transparency.
• Con: This might suggest, erroneously, that,
where a photo offends and there is no
explanation, the editors didn’t consider the
audience.

28. INTRUSION BY
PHOTOJOURNALISTS
• Because their equipment cannot be hidden
like a reporter’s notebook, photojournalists
often have to justify their presence.
• Sometimes, as in the case of the McAuliffe
memorial services, photojournalists can ruin
an event by their presence.

29. RADIO BOSTON ON THE HBO
MARATHON BOMBING DOCUMENTARY
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• Discussion of Photographer John Tlumacki at 9.25

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36. EXAMPLES OF READERS
ADVANCING A STORY
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37. EXAMPLES OF READERS
ADVANCING A STORY, CONT.
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38. UCPOMING ASSIGNMENTS
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• Nov. 29 Class: Read ethics guidelines of the Center for
Investigative Reporting: http://cironline.org/ethics-guide
• Nov. 29 Class: Read (or re-read) Foreman Chapter 16:
Deception, a Controversial Reporting Tool
• Nov. 29 end of day: Advancing a Story assignment due
• Dec. 1 Class: Familiarize yourself with David Beard’s
Twitter feed & come to class w/ at least 1 question for him
about how he uses the tool & why
• Dec. 6 Class: Prepare a 3 minute summary of your final
paper (due end of day Dec. 12). This presentation will count
toward your class participation points. Details TK