A case study examination of how scholastic photojournalists compare with their advisers and professional photojournalists regarding the publication of various images from the Boston Marathon bombing. This presentation also shows how the case study approach and use of current events can be included into the classroom.

1. Warning:
This presentation contains graphic content.
A presentation for the
Midwinter Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
Secondary Education Division,
St. Petersburg, Florida
January 5-7, 2015
“Scholastic photojournalists and the publication of graphic, spot news images:
A comparison with professionals and media advisers”

2. Scholastic photojournalists
and the publication of
graphic, spot news images
Presented by Bradley Wilson, Ph.D.
Midwestern State University

3. Ethics: An Age-Old Discussion
Ethical issues may pit the photographer’s
professional duties against his or her own
conscience. Ken Kobré

4. Discussion on ethics
“Every day, every edition, we face challenging decisions.
We know that many of the calls we make in a few minutes
on deadline can have a lifelong effect for someone,
particularly a subject of a story. We consider it an
awesome responsibility.”
David Boardman
Seattle Times

5. “Although many editors found the images [of 9/11]
disturbing, the overwhelming reason for publishing
them was that they added to the visual storytelling
about what happened during and after the terrorists
attacks. Many editors believed that readers needed
to be exposed to the disturbing images in order to
fully understand the story of the day.”
Renee Martin Kratzer and Brian Kratzer
“How Newspapers Decided to Run Disturbing 9/11 Photos”
Newspaper Research Journal, Winter 2003
Use of case studies

6. 6
Use of case studies

7. Use of current events

8. Sports Illustrated, December, 2012

9. Never
Hard news
Feature
Illustration
Always
0 10 20 30 40 50
19.17
25.83
11.67
2.5
40.83
22.64
29.25
11.32
1.89
34.91
27.76
30.6
8.54
2.49
30.6
Professionals (n=285)
College students/advisers (n=108)
High school students/advisers (n=120)
Sports Illustrated, on Nov. 26, 2012, altered the
color of the jerseys in the football players at
Baylor University. In which of the following
photograph types would you accept this
computer editing change?
Percent

10. Boston: Another Study in Tragedy
I always wondered what it would be like when
I see photographers covering this stuff all over
the world. It’s haunting to be a journalist and
have to cover it. I don’t ever want to have to
do that again. John Tlumacki
Photo by John Tlumacki

11. Research questions
Do high school students differ from professional
photojournalists regarding the publication of
graphic, spot news photos? If so, how?
Do high school students differ from their advisers
regarding the publication of graphic, spot news
photos? If so, how?

13. Yes
No
0 25 50 75 100
37.3
62.8
18.9
81
12.9
87.1
Professionals (n=287)
High school students (n=57)
High school advisers (n=101)
Online, huffingtonpost.com ran the image
with no alteration. Was this acceptable?
Percent
STUDENTS & PROS
t = 1.25
p > 0.11
no difference between
students and
professionals
STUDENTS & ADVISERS
t = 2.23
p > 0.01*
significant difference
between students and
advisers

14. Comments from students
“This image shows the whole truth of the Boston Marathon
bombing. When viewers see this picture, they soon get a
grasp on how extreme the bombing actually was.”
“I would run this photo unaltered because it is a hard news
photo.”
“Run the image because it's hard news.”
“If I were in his situation, I would probably not want the
photo to run.”
“Why would a runner want to show anyone this moment
of weakness? This is against his privacy.”

15. “It shows the reality of violence and the terror of the
situation.”
“This image is unnecessary.”
“I wouldn't use it at all — altered or not — because it's just
too horrific.”
“The decent person in me feels that this person should
have a choice about whether or not to be exposed in this
way at their most vulnerable.”
“HIS FAMILY!”
Comments from advisers

16. Comments from professionals
“As journalists, we should show the disturbing side of
events such as a terror attack. We owe the audience a
warning before they see this.”
“Acceptable as news. Was it in good taste, absolutely
not.”
“Grotesque, but real.”
“It's not appropriate for every audience, just like
pornography isn't.”
“Our job is to show the truth”

18. Online, huffingtonpost.com ran this image with
no alteration. Was this acceptable?
Percent
Yes
No
0 25 50 75 100
16.7
83.3
20.7
79.3
8
91.9
Professionals (n=287)
High school students (n=57)
High school advisers (n=101)
STUDENTS & PROS
t = 2.71
p > 0.00**
significant difference
between students and
professionals
STUDENTS & ADVISERS
t = 0.65
p > 0.26
no difference between
students and advisers

19. Comments from students
“I would only run it if the subjects agreed to the photo
being released because of how graphic it is”
“This picture is real and very powerful. Why shouldn't you
share it to the public?”
“This photo is too graphic for some viewers, I'd run it with
a disclaimer for how graphic it is.”
“It shows the whole, raw truth of the Boston bombing.”
“This is NOT ACCEPTABLE.... very disturbing.”
“Although the picture shows the situation and what was
happening, it is a lot of blood and it might have been too
much to show the public.”

20. “They should run a warning about graphic images. Having
people see the horror of this incident is a valid reason for
the photo, but people should be warned about what is
coming. This should never be on a front page of a
newspaper that small children could accidentally see.”
“Although there is a lot of blood in the picture, the injuries
of the people pictured are not graphic.”
“It tells the story better than any words.”
“We can't sanitize real news.”
“What is real should be shown. No apologies are
needed.”
Comments from advisers

21. Comments from professionals
“News is news. You can't alter a photo to fit your agenda.”
“It's what happened. End of story.”
“It happened.”
“It was run for the shock value not to inform.”
“National ONLINE standards are different from our local print
area. It would NOT run in our print product and likely would
not be part of our online report.”
“Invasive and unnecessary.”
“Distasteful as it is, it was a horrible news event. Such
photographs hopefully will carry some influence in making
gun laws much stronger in this country!”

22. Comments on comments

23. Comments on comments
Words Students Advisers Pros
“Too graphic” 23% 40% 18%
“Truth” 20% 7% 10%
“Acceptable” 12% 6% 8%
“Hard news” “Spot news” “Breaking news” 12% 9% 13%
“Horrific” 5% 5% 3%
“Warning” 5% 13% 7%
“Privacy” 4% 1% 3%
“It happened” 2% 3% 2%

24. Comments on comments
Words Students Advisers Pros
“Too graphic” 23% 40% 18%
“Truth” 20% 7% 10%
“Acceptable” 12% 6% 8%
“Hard news” “Spot news” “Breaking news” 12% 9% 13%
“Horrific” 5% 5% 3%
“Warning” 5% 13% 7%
“Privacy” 4% 1% 3%
“It happened” 2% 3% 2%

25. Discussion
From where do high school students get
their sense of what is ethically right?
“Scholastic journalism programs
are in a unique position to
effectuate a program of ethical
reasoning targeted to our
impressionable youth who are, in
many cases, searching for moral
direction.”
Louis Day and John M. Butler
“The Teaching of Ethics and Moral Reasoning in Scholastic Journalism:
The Pedagogical Imperative”
1989

26. “The photojournalist cannot escape
responsibility for unethical shots. He is
the first gatekeeper. The photographer
makes the initial decision. And since our
work is often done in a split second with
no time to think, our ethical standards
have to be considered before they are
tested.”
Ben Brink, photojournalist
Discussion

27. “Since many practicing journalists
receive their first formal training on the
high school newspaper, it is imperative
that their education be well-grounded in
the ethical standards of the profession.”
Louis Day and John Butler
Discussion

28. By Bradley Wilson, PhD
Midwestern State University
bradley.wilson@mwsu.edu
bradleywilson08@gmail.com
Twitter: @bradleywilson09
A presentation for the
Midwinter Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
Secondary Education Division,
St. Petersburg, Florida
January 5-7, 2015
“Scholastic photojournalists and the publication of graphic, spot news images:
A comparison with professionals and media advisers”