Sun Media's sloppy censoring of Lindsay Lohan's "fuck U" fingernail is the talk of the blogs, not that it was alone in fudging on the image.The online Globe and Mail fingernail photo can be read, with a close-up of her offending left middle fingernail. Ditto for the National Post.
Former Sun photog Warren Toda questions photo manipulation in posting the 24 Hours photo on NPAC.
"Why alter a news photo when other pictures were available? Why lie to the public?" he asks. "I guess since 24 Hours is a free paper, no one cares? Maybe it's true what a journalism reviewer once said about 24 Hours when it was launched, "You certainly get your money's worth."
Online, the Toronto Sun left the fingernail message untouched, but the photo manipulation in the tabloid print edition was embarrassing.
Why alter the print photo and not the online photo?
Why alter the print photo and not the online photo?
The finger message could not be deciphered in the Toronto Star's online photo.
The story here is not sobbing Lohan and her finger play. It is news media photo manipulation.
I can't speak for the online Sun as they have their own staff and make their own decisions. We smudged three of the letters on the photo in deference to some who might consider the word unacceptable in print. You can argue the this issue till the cows come home and there are good arguments on both sides, depending on your audience.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we have manipulated photos for years in features and, ethically speaking, I see nothing wrong with doing that as long as you tell readers that the photo has been manipulated, either in the cutline or the body copy — which we did, in bold type.
I haven't seen a code of ethics from QMI yet, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, so as far as I'm concerned, anything goes.
ReplyDeleteWe actually do have a code of ethics. The brochure entitled 'Quebecor Code Of Ethics' is hanging on a string in the hallway near the lunchroom. I keep meaning to read it, but the banner with the company mottos like 'Respect for employees' right above it keeps distracting me.
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