According to the ABC News (2011), the New York Times revealed that the photo taken during the funeral stride for Kim Jong II was altered for publication in the North Korea. The original picture illustrates a handful of dawdlers messing up the regimented lines; however, the people and their footprints were eliminated in the publication, presenting a perfect order in the crowd lining up while the cortege passes by (ABC News, 2011). This issue has essentially raised immediate concern from the public.
Likewise in Malaysia, one of the mainstream newspapers ‘Berita Harian’ had violated the journalism ethics by editing the original picture of a Bersih Rally man holding a Malaysia flag, to holding a knife (Youtube, 2011).
By looking at all these actions, by what means of journalism ethics? Based on Berry (2008, p. 80), one of the fundamental elements of journalism ethics is the responsibility of the newspaper, which includes fair play, accuracy, decency, impartiality, as well as truthfulness. These element attempts in providing as an instruction of journalism not only in United States, but also other countries (Berry, 2008, p. 80).
I personally think it is vital for the public to know what is right and wrong from primary information. Seemingly, Bersih rally is an electoral reform supported by Malaysian protestors calling upon the government for a fair election (Aljazeera, 2011). Nevertheless, the government has a huge control over the main stream media in Malaysia (Malaysia Today, 2012). Hence in some ways where it might be minuscule to observe, the authority had possesses the information as how they want the readers to conceive. However, news should focus on the factuality rather than the package, which deeply related to responsibility confront with power (Berry, 2008, p. 81).
As said by Kress & Van Leeuwen (2006, p. 19), each picture has its own possibilities, not everything realized in images can be realized through words. Hence, it should depend on the readers to the truth of reading the message. In conclusion, photo editing in publication is severely repentant, as it has failed not only to provide the truth, but immorally deceive the public.
(352 words)
References:
Aziz, M, AS 2012, ‘Media assassins ‘spinning’ under pseudonyms’, Free Malaysia Today, 8 February, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/02/08/media-assassins-spinning-under-pseudonyms/>.
Berry, D 2008, Journalism, Ethics and Society, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, England.
Jazeera, A 2011, ‘In Pictures: Protests suppressed in Malaysia’, ALJAZEER, 9 July, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2011/07/201179124249763194.html>.
Kress, G, & Van Leeuwen, T. 2006, Reading Images, Chapter 1: The Semiotic Landscape: Language and visual communication, pp. 16-44.
MalaysiaKini 2011, Man in Bersih 2.0 picture fiasco reveals himself, video, YouTube, 17 July, viewed 11 June 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMPLx2QQaw0>.
Mooney, M 2011, ‘North Korea Restores Order to Kim Funeral With Photoshop’, ABC News, 29 December 2011, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/12/north-korea-restores-order-to-kim-funeral-with-photoshop/>.
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