Week 4: Student Response to Discussion One and Two

WednesdayApr 18 at 12:12pm

Manage Discussion Entry

A picture does speak 1,000 words, primarily if there are not enough words to tell the story. However, photographs and graphics in journalism display details of what happened in the piece. Sometimes, viewers need to visualize some graphic of what they read. Most readers will not take another look at the article without a picture, also if there is a captivating headline. A description and a graphic attract the observant more and make the material more relatable. According to Stovall & Mullins (2015), a picture is a distraction and placed as a paradigm for a long time. Journalists should use photographs when there is permission first. If the journalist is taking photos on private property, the reporter needs the person’s consent granted to the photograph. Taking and publishing pictures on private land is against the law. Imagery and graphics should be used to entertain and to articulate the story better. Photographs and graphics should not apply to reporting when deceased people are being photographed. For instance, crime news and politic sections have more bloody scenes than anything sometimes. A picture of a dead family in a foreign country is disturbing and disrespectful to the loved ones they left behind. Privacy plays a role in both scenarios I suggested. Other circumstances where images not used in a story is when there are abuse and sexual assault cases, in my opinion, to keep the victim out of the public eye.

Tolanda

Reference

Stovall, J. G., & Mullins, E. (2006). The complete editor (2nd ed.). New Your, NY: Routledge (Taylor & Francis).