Haiti photos: gruesome, sensational — or just plain truthful?

I’m sure you’ve seen it by now — images of devastation-stricken Haiti. Turn on a TV, visit a news Web site or open a newspaper and you’re certain to find photos and videos of a crumbling city and struggling citizens.

In my last post, I brought to light a recent article about the ethical considerations of reporting in Haiti. But even more apparent and striking are the photos that have come from photojournalists in Haiti.

Aside from ethics, something else I'm very passionate about is photojournalism. I recognize the raw power photographs have and their ability to express so much in such a simple way.

Almost immediately after Haiti was ravaged by the worst earthquake it has seen in more than 200 years, hundreds of journalists fled to Haiti with their cameras in tow. Most hoped to capture images that would help give outsiders an understanding of the widespread devastation the small Caribbean nation faces. 

And almost as soon as many of these images were broadcast, they were met with harsh criticism. Many critics argue it is unethical, exploitative or simply in bad taste to publish photos of such blatant human suffering. But what surprised me were those who defended the images, including the ombudsmen/public editors at the New York Times and Washington Post.

Clark Hoyt, public editor of the New York Times, examined the issue in his Jan. 23 article Face to Face With Tragedy. Hoyt quoted some of the readers' reactions, that the photos were gruesome, sensationalistic and exploitative. The specific photo he pointed to were indeed gruesome: One photo depicted a father mourning the death of his 10-month-old daughter who lay atop a massive pile of dead bodies; another photo shows "a man covered in gray dust, lying alone, dead, statue-like, on a stretcher made from a piece of tattered cardboard."

I felt the explanation of the photojournalist himself summed up the exact issue at hand: Damon Winter, after being begged by Haitians to come to their homes to photograph the dead bodies of their loved ones, had to turn people down. He said it was heart-breaking because "they so desperately want people to know what has happened to them, what tremendous pain they are in, and that they desperately need help."

Washington Post ombudsman Andrew Alexander discussed the same issue is his Jan. 24 column Horrible images of death in Haiti. One of the Post's most striking photos depicts a man crawling through rubble beside a girl who had been crushed to death by debris. 

Post readers had similar complaints: The photos were too graphic, sensational and didn't belong on the front page, where one reader said he had "no choice but to look." 

Ultimately, both men agreed with their publications' choices to run the photos. Alexander said, "Journalism is about truth, and the horrific images convey reality." And this, I believe, is what it's all about.  

Sure, it might be hard for some to stomach the images, but for the vast majority of others, it is a wake-up call — a chance for them to step outside of themselves. The visual coverage has pushed the issue to the forefront of the conversation — from Twitter to TV — and has allowed people, especially those who otherwise don’t follow the news, to see a genuine representation of what’s happening in Haiti. 

(Embedded photos courtesy of the United Nations Development Programme's Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/unitednationsdevelopmentprogramme/)

The ethics of reporting in Haiti

To me, one of the most dynamic, engaging discussions in journalism revolves around ethics. Unfortunately, I don't think these discussions happen as often as they should. But with all the coverage coming from Haiti recently, I was glad to see a few articles tackle these issues.

In journalism ethics, there is a wide spectrum of beliefs that range from the very traditional views (Journalists should never be part of the story, ever, in any way, at all. Ever.) to newer, more "liberal" views (Journalists can be part of the story and still cover it with no problem whatsoever.) Then there are those views that fall somewhere in the middle (Journalists are humans first, journalists second. Give them a break!). I tend to fall in the middle, with a bit of a traditional slant. I feel the onset of citizen journalism and rising political/social involvement has begun to warp journalists' ethical framework. And it doesn't help that these discussions hardly ever occur.

So when I read Poynter's Jan. 22 article SPJ tells journalists in Haiti not to become part of the story, my interest was immediately sparked. The article address the Society of Professional Journalists' recent declaration in which the "SPJ cautions journalists to avoid making themselves part of the stories they are reporting." But what does that really mean? SPJ President Kevin Smith mentioned "advocacy, self promotion, offering favors for news and interviews, injecting oneself into the story or creating news events for coverage" as examples of failing to provide independent, objective newsgathering. Essentially, the group wants to remind journalists to "avoid blurring the lines between being a participant and being an objective observer."

One of my big projects during my undergrad examined this very issue, specifically citing the reporting on Hurricane Katrina at the height of the devastation. One particular issue involved reporters who were assisting in rescue efforts, inviting refugees onboard their boats, handing out water bottles and lending cell phones. To many, these seem like the most basic acts a person can do for another, but as journalists, is that going too far? Does this "blur the line between being a participant and being an objective observer"?

The same goes for the situation in Haiti. If a reporter is assisting in aid efforts and becoming so emotionally invested, will it affect his/her ability to report the news?

I'm not going to pretend to know the answer. This situation is a very, very sticky one, and I can never know what it would be like to cover such devastation and tragedy. I can only imagine what these brave journalists are going through. My guess is many of them will never be the same when they come back. But I do think there is merit in what the SPJ is saying. It can't be easy, but I think our jobs as journalists are not easy — they are challenging and messy and extremely trying. And it has to be essential for those journalists to do their best to provide that objective account that only they can offer.

The SPJ certainly received some harsh criticism in reaction to these statements, but I applaud them for putting out that unpopular view. At a time when no one is thinking about the ethics of reporting in Haiti, and understandably so, it's of the utmost important to remind these professionals to keep it in mind.

Thunderbird American Indian Dancers

Native American dance troupe Thunderbird American Indian Dancers held a concert and pow wow at the Theater for The New City in Manhattan's East Village on Jan. 29, 2010.

Audio slideshow, with photos from Sarah Tung:


Photo slideshow from Flickr:

Portrait shoot

This semester, I am taking a photojournalism course at Tisch, with Jeffrey Henson Scales, a New York Times photographer. Our first assignment was to do portraits of one of our classmates. I fortunately was paired up with Patrick Barragan, who is quite a character. Check out this Flickr slideshow of our fun-filled photo shoot on a dock overlooking the Hudson River.

Hint: It looks even better if you click on the link that takes you to Flickr. 

Ethics shmethics

Upcoming topics:

Journalism ethics, or the lack thereof, and the blurry lines surrounding these issues.

In particular, I plan to discuss the ethical concerns surrounding Haiti coverage, pointing to the following links:

SPJ tells journalists in Haiti not to become part of the story

NYTimes public editor: Face to Face With Tragedy

WaPo ombuds: Horrible images of death in Haiti

I hope you'll read and join in the discussion. Keep an eye out for this post in the next couple of days.

A new vision

Greetings, blogosphere.

I have a confession to make: About four months ago, I started this blog — not because I had an overwhelming feeling to express my views with the world or even because I was fascinated by the notion of blogging. Rather, my intentions were simple: I was obligated.

I began grad school at NYU in September 2009, and as part of my writing/reporting class, I had to maintain a blog. So I created this account and began posting, albeit mostly just my recent assignments to what I can only assume is a very small audience.

But it's a new year, and a new semester, and the rules have changed. I am again required to maintain a blog, this time for my entrepreneurial journalism class (which in itself will make for a ton of discussion on here). However, I can guarantee the contents of this blog will be much different. I see little value in simply posting my work to likely fewer than a handful of readers.

This time around I want to discuss real issues and relevant topics. One of the most important hallmarks of journalism is the opportunity to bring to light people and issues that otherwise wouldn't be examined. I think it's hugely important to find these characters and tell their stories, and I will certainly continue to do that. But beyond that, I think it's important to look at the larger picture.

I plan to look at issues affecting the media and journalism. From ethics and photography & photojournalism to new technologies and the many innovations changing the media landscape — all these issues and more are fair game.

My goal is to inform and shed light on these matters, but even more, I'd love to start a discussion. I want to know what you know and what you think. I want to share information but I also want to learn. I hope you contribute to the conversation and spread the word.

And please, don't be a stranger. Check in often and keep me posted. I'll be sure to do the same for you.

Club Animals and Nate Hill

By RACHEL WISE
 
In a city like New York, there are few things that turn heads. But one man, artist Nate Hill, has become an expert of doing just that. 

Hill’s latest project has him donning a dolphin mascot head and white tuxedo as he delivers $1 bags of "candy crack” — or packs of crushed up sugar cubes colored and flavored with snow-cone syrup — to anyone who calls in an order in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. 

“It’s just the theater of the drug dealer,” Hill said. 

Hill’s project is part of a performance art group called Club Animals, a secret society of mascots formed in early 2009. The group has performed several other acts, including the popular “Free Bouncy Rides,” where Hill, dressed in his dolphin costume, sits on a bench in the subway and offers strangers knee-bouncing rides.

The idea for Club Animals, Hill said, came after he and a friend were visiting an art gallery in Chelsea.
 
“It was so stuffy and pretentious, and we were joking that wouldn’t it be funny if we were in mascot costumes right now?” he said. “It started from wanting to be absurd in public.” 

Hill, who acts as creative director of Club Animals, classifies his latest work as “regression art.” After he turned 30, he said, he felt the need to “rebel against aging.” 

“I just wanted to start acting extremely young. I wanted to act like a child … but also keep the fun stuff about being an adult,” Hill said, “like being able to do drugs and have sex. That’s why the bouncy rides are somewhat sexual, and candy crack is about drugs.”

Hill said his work has become relatively well-known, thanks in part to the Nonsense NYC list, an e-mail newsletter that alerts subscribers to “weird events, strange happenings, unique parties, and senseless culture in New York City,” its Web site says. 

“I realized there was a thing we could do without even going anywhere,” said one candy junkie, who preferred not to be named. “I thought it was fun to have strange people come to our house.” 

But not everyone is amused. In August, Hill came under fire after the New York Daily News published an article about how his candy crack delivery service angered community activists. 

“I hate anybody who jokes about drugs," Ismael Torres, 75, president of the tenant association at the Borinquen Plaza in Williamsburg, told the Daily News. "I've seen too many cemeteries, too many hospitals, too many funeral parlors. The cops should stop this guy." 

But Hill said he wasn’t fazed by the criticism. 

“Either you get it or you don’t,” he said. “Either it’s funny or it’s not.” 

Hill’s entry into the art world began with “urban taxidermy,” he said, where he would sew together different animal parts to create large-scale pieces of art. Then he founded Club Animals. But what’s next, Hill said, is yet to be determined. 

“I want to be a real artist. ... I want to be transformative. I want to keep changing and reinvent myself … so I can prove to people I’m not just a spectacle,” Hill said. “I think that’s the mark of a real artist — if you have something new to say every year.”