Many people assume that images
and photos are true when it is released by a high authority organization, the
press or the government. However, with today’s technology almost anyone can
possibly do anything with images to serve one’s interest. For instance, the photo taken at Kim Jong-Il’s funeral that is
photoshop to manipulate the audience. This is realized to be not ethical as it
clearly violates the policies of news photo agencies.
As in reference with the
American Business Media (2005), the first general editorial code of ethics is
to “maintain honesty, integrity, accuracy, thoroughness and fairness in the
reporting and editing of articles, headlines and graphics”. Although, this code of ethics is from the American
Business Media, I very much think that this code generally do apply to all
editors. The editor which photoshop the image is from the North Korean Central News Agency and he or she has
undoubtedly did not maintain the highest professional standards as an editor.
Consequently, the
photo was released by the European Press Photo Agency (EPA) but it is a different
from the photo released by Japanese agency Kyodo news.
Here
is a closer view of the picture that has been edited.
Source:http://www.petapixel.com/2011/12/29/shocking-north-korea-doctored-photo-of-kim-jong-ils-funeral/
Clearly, the first picture is
the real picture which is captured by the Japanese agency and the second one is
edited by North Korean Central News Agency where
the EPA had used. This is a false reflection and it is not ethical where it
attempts to manipulate the audience. According
to Lodriguss (2006), “when we correct, manipulate and enhance images in Photoshop,
we must deal with questions of both ethics and aesthetics”. This is seen when;
the EPA issued a kill order for the photo to be not used. EPA has done the
right thing as it serves their ethical limits. They publish the truth and
published the truth it shall be. Hence, ethics and aesthetics come in hand with
EPA as their works is to produce news with credibility and maintain the spirit
of a good journalism ethics.
In my opinion, clearing the group of cameraman and
the tire marks, the Korean editor intention is to make it a picture perfect; "restoring absolute order" to the crowd as the convoy
passes by. As in the communist world,
they will portray their leader as the one and only perfect leader no matter
what it takes to do so. Hence, violation of editorial ethics is seen here.
(380 words)
References
American Business Media, 2005, “Editorial Code of Ethics”, online, viewed 8 June 2012, article retrieved from <http://www.americanbusinessmedia.com/images/abm/pdfs/committees/EdEthics.pdf>.
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