Kim Jon-Il's Funeral Photoshoped ?

Photojournalism has carried an image of truthfulness for a long time as the impact of visual image on a viewer tells them that a ‘camera never lies’. As a tool, the camera faithfully and unemotionally captures the moment in time (Lester 1999). The camera as a machine, it is only faithful in the hands of an ethical person. In the case of Kim Jong- Il’s funeral procession, there was an issue on the photograph released by the North Korea’s state news agency. An Image from ABC News shows the two different version of a photograph that can be found taken on Kim Jong-Il’s funeral ceremony (Mooney 2011). It has been discovered that the photo released by the North Korean state news agency was doctored.

The ‘mess’ which is the camera crew which wasn’t in formation was digitally removed with Photoshop. The reason for doing so is still unclear of but there was an issue about the right and wrong, and if it is ethical or not to do so. According to Lester (1995), words are vital in reassuring the credibility of a photo which means a photojournalist or art director should acknowledge the changes made on a photo if intended because the readers have the rights to know the truth and it is unethical to ‘lie’ to the public.

The reason of doctoring the photo was maybe to keep up the appearance of the image of the event (Seidl 2011). Personally I find it quite unethical to alter such modification to a photograph just to uphold the image of the profound status of Kim Jong-Il’s and the country’s ruling family that they remain in tight control. If they alter the photo for such reason, it creates a false image of the family and the perception of the public which in a away they are lying about themselves. According to the Society of Professional Journalist (1996), it is a journalist’s responsible to be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information. Therefore lying to the nation and the world would also mean it’s breaking the code of ethics for journalism.

Lester, PM 1999, ‘Picture Manipulation’, Photojournalism An Ethical Approach, viewed on 1^st June 2012, from http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/chapter6.html

Lester, PM 1995, ‘Photojournalism Ethics Timeless Issues’, in Emery, M & Smythe, TC , Readings in Mass Communication, viewed on 1^st June 2012, from http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/photoethics.html

Mooney, M 2011, ‘North Korea Restores Order to Kim Funeral with Photoshop’, ABC News, viewed on 1^st June 2012, from http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/12/north-korea-restores-order-to-kim-funeral-with-photoshop/