Photojournalism Ethics vs North Korean’s Censorship

(Image Source: stereosushi.blogspot.com)

Photojournalism was once known for being raw and truthful, but that tradition is long gone. “The camera never lies”, was the given label back in the era where technology was yet advanced.  As of today, a visual image may risk alteration, and often manipulate the public’s trust as photographic manipulations are able to gain in political and economic situations (Lester, 1999). Having said that, visual journalists’, by law, are given the role to operate as trustees of the public, especially during significant events (National Press Photographers Association). Hence, the ability to alter images puts the art of photography at risk of losing its credibility (Beehner, 2008).

This combo picture shows the group of journalists and a tire-mark on the left image being removed in the right.
(Image Source:http://news.nationalpost.com)

The article ‘North Korea Restores Order to Kim Funeral with Photoshop’, which was informed in the ABC News on the 29^th of December 2011, reports about the photo alterations from the funeral procession for Kim Jong-II. Apparently, the photo that was released by the North Koreans showed that footprints had been digitally removed after comparing to a similar image that was instead captured by the Japanese. In the article, the European Pressphoto Agency hold the North Korean government responsible as this case affects their transparency and clarification process.

North Korean Army Drill
(Image Source: asiancorrespondent.com)

The North Koreans has always been known for their heavily censored photojournalism (Bozicevic, 2011), however I believe it is to project the stability of the current generation of the North Koreans’, despite years of complete economic collapse. According to Schirato and Yell (2000), different cultural and situation context interprets the meaning of texts or images in a different manner. Perhaps the purpose of altering images of the funeral of Kim Jong-II was meant to be perceived as a form of discipline among the North Koreans. With that in mind, a government is meant to practice transparency to not only the nation, but the world, and this case only reflects on how the North Korean’s lack to abide the photojournalism ethics.   


References

Beehner, L 2008, ‘Photoshop is killing photojournalism’, The Guardian, 16 July, viewed 8 June 2012,<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/16/photography.iran>.

Bozicevic, Z 2011, ‘The altered reality of Kim Jong-il’s Photoshop funeral’, News, 29 December, viewed 8 June 2012,<http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/12/29/the-altered-reality-of-kim-jong-ils-photoshop-funeral/>.

Lester, PM 1999, Chapter Six Picture Manipulations, Photojournalism an Ethical Approach, viewed 8 June 2012, http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/chapter6.html.

National Press Photographers Association 2012, NPPA Code of Ethics, viewed 8 June 2012,http://nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/ethics.html.

Schirato, T. & Yell, S. 2000, Communication and cultural literacy: an introduction, 2nd edn, Allen & Unwin, St. Leonards.