Comments on: Photojournalism – Crisis In Confidence http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/ Summum nec metuas diem, nec optes - Marcus Valerius Martialis Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:27:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Blue Crab Boulevard » Blog Archive » Images Matter - Honest Images Matter Most http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-17929 Blue Crab Boulevard » Blog Archive » Images Matter - Honest Images Matter Most Sat, 26 Aug 2006 13:20:12 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/#comment-17929 [...] Moeller's point is that images have become intrinsic to military strategy. Quite true. The manipulation of the imagery is where problems arise. People like David Perlmutter and the late Joe Rosenthal (I think Moeller, too) get that fundamental fact. People like Greg Mitchell do not. [...] [...] Moeller's point is that images have become intrinsic to military strategy. Quite true. The manipulation of the imagery is where problems arise. People like David Perlmutter and the late Joe Rosenthal (I think Moeller, too) get that fundamental fact. People like Greg Mitchell do not. [...]

]]> By: Blue Crab Boulevard » Blog Archive » Allah Pundit Gets Cranky http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-17649 Blue Crab Boulevard » Blog Archive » Allah Pundit Gets Cranky Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:02:40 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/#comment-17649 [...] Mitchell is wrong here. As his post points out right at the beginning, David Perlmutter's op-ed (from E&P, ironically) is a much more accurate reflection on the state of photojournalism today. He's also fighting out of his league trying to go up against the deity of photoshopping. (Incidentally, David Perlmutter himself commented in the comments of my post and recommends a couple of excellent books on the subject.) [...] [...] Mitchell is wrong here. As his post points out right at the beginning, David Perlmutter's op-ed (from E&P, ironically) is a much more accurate reflection on the state of photojournalism today. He's also fighting out of his league trying to go up against the deity of photoshopping. (Incidentally, David Perlmutter himself commented in the comments of my post and recommends a couple of excellent books on the subject.) [...]

]]> By: Black Jack http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-17468 Black Jack Mon, 21 Aug 2006 18:56:35 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/#comment-17468 Perlmutter, I read your Chronicle article, and I'll have a look at the essays on your web site. I bookmarked it. You strike me as a straightforward guy with a sincere interest in the integrity of journalism. Blogs can not only make Democracy richer, they can make professional journalism richer and more accurate. But, you know that. Best Regards. Perlmutter, I read your Chronicle article, and I’ll have a look at the essays on your web site. I bookmarked it. You strike me as a straightforward guy with a sincere interest in the integrity of journalism.

Blogs can not only make Democracy richer, they can make professional journalism richer and more accurate. But, you know that. Best Regards.

]]> By: perlmutter http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-17375 perlmutter Sun, 20 Aug 2006 05:31:37 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/#comment-17375 Hi Everybody: This is me, Perlmutter. I just finished a book on political blogs and I have to stick to my ideal that blogs have opened up a marketplace of ideas that, no matter how messy it is in execution, makes Democracy richer. So fire away! I do want to say one thing to the commenters: There is media bias out there, a lot of it. (I have read those books; read my books and essays and you’ll see I have also written books on news bias!). But don’t shoot all the messengers. There are decent photojournalists out there, trying to do their best to get the facts right and fair. But the industry is so skewed toward the bang bang shot stripped of all context that it’s hard to work within the system. By the way, there are two terrific books on the subject of photo-manipulation. The second is written by a former CIA photoexpert. Very enjoyable reads as well. Jaubert, Alain. (1989[1986]). Making People Disappear: An Amazing Chronicle of Photographic Deception.Washnigton: Pergamon-Brassey’s. Brugioni, Dino A. 1999. Photo fakery: The history and techniques of photographic deception and manipulation. Dulles, VA: Brassey’s. Hi Everybody: This is me, Perlmutter. I just finished a book on political blogs and I have to stick to my ideal that blogs have opened up a marketplace of ideas that, no matter how messy it is in execution, makes Democracy richer. So fire away! I do want to say one thing to the commenters: There is media bias out there, a lot of it. (I have read those books; read my books and essays and you’ll see I have also written books on news bias!). But don’t shoot all the messengers. There are decent photojournalists out there, trying to do their best to get the facts right and fair. But the industry is so skewed toward the bang bang shot stripped of all context that it’s hard to work within the system.

By the way, there are two terrific books on the subject of photo-manipulation. The second is written by a former CIA photoexpert. Very enjoyable reads as well.

Jaubert, Alain. (1989[1986]). Making People Disappear: An Amazing Chronicle of Photographic Deception.Washnigton: Pergamon-Brassey’s.

Brugioni, Dino A. 1999. Photo fakery: The history and techniques of photographic deception and manipulation. Dulles, VA: Brassey’s.

]]> By: fiona http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-17330 fiona Sat, 19 Aug 2006 15:10:23 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/#comment-17330 Worse yet - the entire business model of photo journalism and video journalism is based on the profit making center of supplying Arab media with what it wants. This part of the business for APTN and Reuters makes more money for the organization (given that it includes commentary and "slant") than does the part that supplies minimal commentary in the form of a caption and date stamp to the Western media. So the emphasis has to be on what is acceptable to the profitable side of the enterprise that can also be used for the remainder. Add to that the CNN "sadam" thesis (if we make the truth public, these folks will cut off our access) and the tendency of the Islamists to keep track of reporters quite visibly and to threaten them and you have a perfect storm of confidence in the West. Worse yet – the entire business model of photo journalism and video journalism is based on the profit making center of supplying Arab media with what it wants. This part of the business for APTN and Reuters makes more money for the organization (given that it includes commentary and “slant”) than does the part that supplies minimal commentary in the form of a caption and date stamp to the Western media. So the emphasis has to be on what is acceptable to the profitable side of the enterprise that can also be used for the remainder.
Add to that the CNN “sadam” thesis (if we make the truth public, these folks will cut off our access) and the tendency of the Islamists to keep track of reporters quite visibly and to threaten them and you have a perfect storm of confidence in the West.

]]> By: David Paulin http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-17312 David Paulin Sat, 19 Aug 2006 07:02:53 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/#comment-17312 David Perlmutter puts too little emphasis on one of the main reasons for journalistic atrocities such as “Reutersgate” – the mainstream media’s heavy reliance on “local hires” in its foreign reporting and photojournalism. Stringers and freelancers are far more likely than staffers to have questionable training and loyalties. And because they’re chasing a paycheck with every assignment or photo, there’s a built-in incentive to cheat. Cheating is much easier to do abroad than when working in the states. There’s simply less accountability in foreign reporting -- especially with the economic model that sustains the MSM's outsourcing model. Yet another problem is editors with a particular political agenda which they make known. Freelancers are more likely than staffers to satisfy such biases in whatever way they can. Biased editors, moreover, are less inclined to question articles, quotes, and photos that confirm their biases. Perlmutter, ironically, calls this “the golden age of photojournalistic ethics” and refers to abundant ethical lapses in previous eras. It appears those days are over, however, given the level of accountability provided by the blogesphere. Whether the mainstream media catches onto this is another question. David Perlmutter puts too little emphasis on one of the main reasons for journalistic atrocities such as “Reutersgate” – the mainstream media’s heavy reliance on “local hires” in its foreign reporting and photojournalism.

Stringers and freelancers are far more likely than staffers to have questionable training and loyalties. And because they’re chasing a paycheck with every assignment or photo, there’s a built-in incentive to cheat. Cheating is much easier to do abroad than when working in the states. There’s simply less accountability in foreign reporting — especially with the economic model that sustains the MSM’s outsourcing model.

Yet another problem is editors with a particular political agenda which they make known. Freelancers are more likely than staffers to satisfy such biases in whatever way they can. Biased editors, moreover, are less inclined to question articles, quotes, and photos that confirm their biases.

Perlmutter, ironically, calls this “the golden age of photojournalistic ethics” and refers to abundant ethical lapses in previous eras. It appears those days are over, however, given the level of accountability provided by the blogesphere. Whether the mainstream media catches onto this is another question.

]]> By: The Real Ugly American.com » Blog Archive » Bloggers Get Their Due http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-17308 The Real Ugly American.com » Blog Archive » Bloggers Get Their Due Sat, 19 Aug 2006 04:13:48 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/#comment-17308 [...] Blue Crab Boulevard weighs in. [...] [...] Blue Crab Boulevard weighs in. [...]

]]> By: Black Jack http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-17303 Black Jack Sat, 19 Aug 2006 01:26:30 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/08/18/photojournalism-crisis-in-confidence/#comment-17303 Pearlmutter sees the problems as they have been recently revealed in his field of photojournalism, but he doesn't seem to grasp the broader implications for professional journalism as a whole. The examples of dishonesty he cites do not occur in a vacuum. They are part of a larger fraud which infects the entire body of American journalism. I applaud Pearlmutter for his courage and professionalism, but unfortunately, the problems he's concerned about are only the tip of the iceberg. For a good introduction to the larger issues, Professor Pearlmutter should read Bernard Goldberg's books, Bias, and Arrogance. Pearlmutter sees the problems as they have been recently revealed in his field of photojournalism, but he doesn’t seem to grasp the broader implications for professional journalism as a whole. The examples of dishonesty he cites do not occur in a vacuum. They are part of a larger fraud which infects the entire body of American journalism.

I applaud Pearlmutter for his courage and professionalism, but unfortunately, the problems he’s concerned about are only the tip of the iceberg. For a good introduction to the larger issues, Professor Pearlmutter should read Bernard Goldberg’s books, Bias, and Arrogance.

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