Nichole Magoon
GDD 330
3/21/09

Introduction

It’s been said that an image is worth 1,000 words. But what is the appropriate price to pay when those pictures involve the tradgedy and death of others? Whether or not journalists should be allowed to take and publish these photos in the media has been a controversial issue for many years with supporters on each side of the debate. Many claim that it is essential to convey the right emotions and set the proper tone for the article, but some people believe that the photos are unnecessary and are invading the privacy rights of those involved. Also, many believe that the pictures are not necessary to tell the story.

This analysis will look at two news stories about journalists/media outlets that face this issue of publicizing controversial photos to accompany a news story and debate whether or not the images were necessary and if the methods used were ethical.

BNet: Photography: Tragedy in Focus

In this January 10, 2005 article written for The Independent , author Ian Burrell writes about photographer Arko Datta and the images he captured while on assignment at the site of a tsunami disaster. Datta, originally from the Mumbai bureau of Reuters, was assigned to fly to Tamil Nadu after a tsunami struck the coast. Datta states in the article that he had no previous knowledge of what a tsunami was, and therefore was unsure of what to expect when he arrived.
But, immediately after his arrival, Datta came across a tragic scene of a mother and father grieving the loss of their 8-year-old son, crying and holding the dead son’s hand. Datta quickly stopped the car and began to take photographs of the scene he was witnessing.
In order to protect the family’s privacy, Datta selected to use a telephoto lens rather than the typical wide-angle lens he would use to capture the entire scene on other assignments. He wanted to “avoid an image that would appear too ‘gruesome’ and show the boy’s body.” Using the telephoto lens, Datta was able to remain at a further distance from the family and only capture a photo of the father crying and holding his dead son’s hand.
For the rest of his time on site at the Tsunami destruction, Datta traveled close to 100 miles going villages and documenting the destruction and tragedy, with many of his pictures appearing worldwide in newspapers. And, although Datta has covered other tragic scenes such as earthquakes and Hindu-Muslim rioting, he states that he has never seen anything like the tsunami tragedy. He refers to it as “.an accident on a much larger scale.”




The Hindu: Tsunami Death Toll in India 6,400

This December 2004 article published in India also covers the tsunami disaster but from a different perspective. Whereas the other article indirectly discusses the disaster but moreover covers the photographer and his story, this is a news article that directly covers the event.
The article begins by discussing how victims of the tsunami in India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are recovering and the relief effort that immediately went into place by the armed forces and agencies in the area. Once the water had subsided, rescue teams entered the areas that needed the most aid. Some areas received reduced aid due to heavy rain and some areas received no assistance at all, leading to many complaints of neglect.
In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the death toll continued to rise after the area not only suffered the tsunami but also continued to experience aftershocks from the earthquake, measuring as high as 5.2 on the Ricter scale. The running total of deaths in Tamil Nadu was 2,758 at the time of the article. It lists off other current death tolls of surrounding areas, though the total numbers of casualties are not known.
The article then continues with information from the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil and his talks with the Chief Minister, Jayalaithaa from Tamil Nadu, offering any assistance needed. It reports that Tamil Nadu experienced an extensive amount of damage, and he estimates that over 100,000 people have been displaced.
It finishes by reporting that relief centers have been put into place, although they are not able to help all areas affected by the disaster, especially the fishing areas. Buildings that survived the tsunami such as government buildings, schools and religious institutions have been converted into shelters for those affected until aid can be administered. The article is also accompanied by a picture of a mass grave filled with bodies from the tsunami. In the background of the image there is smoke rising from the cremation of other bodies.

Analysis

These articles deal with the same natural disaster, however they are told from two different perspectives and handle the issue in two different ways. In his book Ethics in Journalism, Ron Smith discusses the power of photography and how it can be used to draw emotions from readers of the story. But, many also view these shocking images as unnecessary and adding no extra value to the story. Photographer James Dickman describes the camera as “an intrusive tool. You’re pointing it at something. You’re taking away a moment. You’re taking away privacy” (261)

One argument in the debate over shocking issues of whether or not the photos are needed to tell the story is that the “pictures can be used to help explain an event to readers” (264). In a way, both of these stories/images could be viewed in this respect. Similar to the case listed in Smith’s book, Datta’s photo could be used to help represent the tragedy visually and set the right emotional tone for the story. It draws on the emotions of the readers and they are able to connect to the story better. The Hindu story could also be seen as helping the reader understand the story better. The image, although shocking, helps the reader to understand the magnitude of the death toll from the disaster. Without this shocking image, the death toll is just a number and doesn’t have any meaning behind it. But, with the image of the mass grave and the cremation behind it, it shows the readers just a portion of the death toll. If this is a shocking image of only a fraction of the total number, one can only imagine what the full death toll number would look like visually.
But, Smith discusses an opposing argument, stating that viewers and readers do not need to see the images in order to fully understand the grief that occurs when there is a loss. Many consider it an intrusion on the privacy of those involved. Both of these photos for these stories could be seen in this respect as well. Both photos are dealing with tremendous grief. Datta, although he stayed at a distance from the family and used a longer lens to capture the photo, was intruding on a family’s private moment. The Hindu article photo also invades on the privacy of those that were killed in the disaster, as well as their families and friends, some who may not even know that the person had died in the event, given the area, severity of the disaster, and access to communication. This photo may be the first time they are made aware of the death.
John Long, a former president of the National Press Photographers Association, lists some important questions that the photographers and editors should ask themselves to determine if the images will be helpful or just sensational. These questions include:
• Does the event have an impact on the community in general?
• Is there an overriding societal interest in the event?
• Does the photo further our understanding of some aspect of our community and help us make informed choices as a community?
(smith 267)

These questions can be applied to both of the photos and the events that took place. While I think the event itself had an impact on the community in general and that there was an overriding societal interest in the event, I don’t think either photos really helps to further the understanding of some aspect of the community and they don’t help the community make informed choices. I don’t think they are necessary to the story, and I personally believe that the reader can connect to the story and draw out the same emotions without the visuals if writing is good enough. I also feel like the Hindu photo was unnecessary, as it did not really add value to the story and did not really further the reader’s understanding of the story. But, because I understand that visuals are used to attract readers and that humans are naturally drawn to images, I would choose Datta’s to publish if I needed to choose one. Smith’s book features a quote from researchers at the American Society of Newspaper Editors, stating that “It’s essential for journalists to understand the compassion that readers feel for distraught survivors is far greater than their desire to know relevant or irrelevant details” (217). Also, according to Smith, “the code of ethics of the Radio-Television News Directors Association urges reporters to respect the dignity of people in the news”(219). Overall, Datta’s image taps into the compassion of the readers and draws sympathy for the victim and his family. It is also framed in such as way that respects the dignity of the family involved. While Datta could have used a wide angle lens to capture the entire scene, he respected the family and their tragedy by using a telephoto lens and only capturing the father and the child’s hand, rather than the entirety of the child’s body. The Hindu article image, I believe, does not respect the dignity of those involved, and is merely there not to draw on compassion but to try and illustrate the body count. The image is not tasteful and shows the dead in a disrespectful light. Therefore, I don’t feel it is necessary, adds no value to the article, and should not have been published.


Bibliography

Burrell, Ian. "Photography: Tragedy in focus--The Independent." www.findarticles.com. 10 Jan. 2005. BNet. 21 Mar. 2009 .

"The Hindu: Tsunami death toll in India 6,400." The Hindu : Front Page News : Saturday, 28 Dec. 2004. 21 Mar. 2009 .

Smith, Ron F. & Goodwin, H. Eugene; Ethics in Journalism; Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, 1999