The Mohammed cartoons, torture photos from Abu Ghraib, videos from school shooting, and pictures from dead bodies in the London terrorist attacks taken by other victims are visual contents that we all had to deal with in the last years.
The discussions on the changes for journalists caused by digitalization are ubiquitous. But mostly they focus on decreasing readership numbers, how to reconnect with the public, and on grassroots journalism. Ethical questions usually are concerned with issues such as tabloidization, sensationalism, and emotionalization- in short, quality loss in journalism. Journalistic codes are updated and adapted to the new demands.
Other societal debates concentrate on possible negative influences of pictures in news media, video games, music videos, and such- usually containing violence and/or sex. But there is a lack of discourse on ethical challenges concerning photojournalism. During or after a tragedy like school shootings there is lots of talk but the ferocity of those arguments is neither reflected in professional debates of journalists on ethics in photojournalism nor in journalistic codes. However, those issues are gaining importance proportional to the rising significance cameras, picture taking, and visual media in people’s lives. This essay therefore is summarizing current debates about journalism ethics, focusing on visual media. Those issues are illustrated with two examples: the Mohammed cartoon-incident and school shootings at the Virginia Tech University, USA and in Jokela, Finland. The question to be answered is what problems exist concerning ethical issues in photojournalism and how they possibly could be improved.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. On journalism ethics
3. On photojournalism and ethics
4. Examples
5. Conclusion
6. References
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the ethical challenges surrounding photojournalism in the digital age, specifically examining how traditional media ethics cope with the rise of visual media and citizen-generated content during global crises.
- The evolution of journalistic ethics in the digital era.
- The specific ethical dilemmas posed by visual media and photojournalism.
- The impact of citizen-produced amateur imagery on professional standards.
- Case studies of visual representation in the Mohammed cartoon incident and school shootings.
- The need for updated ethical frameworks to address contemporary media dynamics.
Excerpt from the Book
3. On photojournalism and ethics
In the past, photography, excluding its use in art, has been seen as depictions of the truth, as a witness. This estimation has not changed with the digitalization in spite of the new possibilities of manipulation. News journalism has been and still is one of the main areas where photography is given a central position. Its task is to objectively represent reality. This has not been true even before digitalization since the situation a picture is taken of is only part of a bigger scene. Also the choice which photograph is printed where is an interpretation. But this belief or cultural practice is rooted in our understanding of the world. (Tirohl 2000:335-8) Domke (2002: 134) ascribes five impacts to images. They inhabit ‘mnemonic powers’ which means that images are easier to remember compared to written texts. They can become icons that stand for an event or issue as well as they have aesthetic strength. Further images evoke emotional reactions and they can have political impacts by changing believes about issues and by that influence policy making. But even though images are seen as powerful they very rarely have the ability to overturn already existing believes and values. Those usually play an essential role in the interpretation of pictures. One of the strongest features of images is their power to start a process of active, individual consideration and evaluation of ones social and political surroundings. (Andén-Papadopoulos 2008: 8; Domke 2002: 147-8) Overall, the assumptions about the amount of influence images have to affect the audience range from being very cautious to assigning them almost endless power. But it is generally agreed on that pictures in news media draw an audience and frame events. (Keith et al. 2006: 246) Similar to written journalism photojournalism also faces changes and challenges like smaller budgets, changing practices, technologies, and culture as well as a re-definition process of the professional position and requirements. (Pantti and Bakker 2009: 483)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the growing prevalence of images in contemporary society and highlights the lack of discourse regarding ethical challenges specifically within photojournalism.
2. On journalism ethics: Discusses the existence of formal and informal journalism codes and the challenges of applying these traditional guidelines in modern, team-based newsrooms.
3. On photojournalism and ethics: Examines the perceived truthfulness of photography, the power of images to influence public opinion, and the challenges introduced by digital manipulation and citizen participation.
4. Examples: Uses the Mohammed cartoon controversy and school shootings as practical case studies to illustrate ethical tensions in selecting and publishing sensitive imagery.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes that existing ethics codes are outdated and argues for a broader, public-oriented dialogue to establish modern standards for amateur and professional photojournalism.
6. References: Provides a comprehensive list of scholarly sources used to support the essay's arguments.
Keywords
Photojournalism, Journalism Ethics, Digitalization, Amateur Media, Citizen Journalism, News Media, Visual Communication, Ethical Codes, Mohammed Cartoons, School Shootings, Media Responsibility, Public Interest, Representation, Credibility, Visual Culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this essay?
The essay investigates the intersection of ethics and photojournalism, specifically focusing on the challenges that digital transformation and amateur visual content pose to traditional news standards.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
Key themes include the role of visual evidence in news, the limitations of current journalistic ethics codes, the impact of the internet on visual dissemination, and the ethical responsibility of media organizations.
What is the primary research goal?
The objective is to identify existing ethical problems in photojournalism and discuss how professional standards and decision-making processes could be improved in a rapidly changing media landscape.
Which scientific method is applied?
The author uses a qualitative approach, summarizing current scholarly debates on media ethics and applying these theories to specific real-world case studies.
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers the transition of photojournalism in the digital age, the role of professional versus amateur photographers, and an analysis of how news media handled controversial images during the Mohammed cartoons and school shooting events.
How would you describe the main keywords?
The keywords highlight the shift from traditional to citizen-led media, the ethical dilemmas of displaying violence, and the critical need for globalized standards in visual journalism.
How did the Mohammed cartoon incident influence editorial decisions?
The incident demonstrated how media outlets struggled to balance the principle of "freedom of speech" with the potential impact of publishing controversial images, often leading to indirect methods of dissemination.
What ethical dilemma arose from the Virginia Tech shooting images?
The debate centered on whether publishing images provided by the shooter himself served the public interest or if it merely facilitated the shooter's desire for notoriety and sensationalism.
What role does citizen participation play in modern news?
Citizen participation, fueled by mobile technology, offers immediate access to breaking news but lacks the standardization, verification, and ethical training expected of professional photojournalists.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Nina Ratavaara (Autor:in), 2009, Ethics in Photojournalism, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/178929
