Problems in Photojournalism: realism, the nature of news and the humanitarian narrative.

MAGAZINE'S ABSTRACT
Three problems present themselves to anyone who argues that hard-hitting photojournalism
is important in the daily press. The first concerns the compromised nature of
photography as a foundation for authentic eye-witness reports. Photography, even in its most
realistic style, is no absolute guarantee or proof of events. The second problem derives from the
poor state of the newspaper industry as a source of reliable public record. News has become
more entertaining and trivial than concerned or controversial. The third problem, which is the
main point of this essay, relates to how effective hard-hitting documentary record might be, given
that readers are supposed to be quickly bored by images of suffering unknown strangers. The
argument stresses that photographs might be used in evidence; the press does not have to be
trivial; shocking photographs are a measure of the press's contribution to debate in a civilized
society. What would it mean for everyday knowledge if images of horrible crimes ceased to
circulate, or were never seen in the first place ? What would it mean for civility if representations
of crimes were always polite?