Photography Ethics - When do we publish or not publish a photograph?

Please refer to the NPPA, National Press Photographers Association to guide your decision in the following scenarios.

Choose 2 situations to answer and and post them to your blog.

 Publish or Not to Publish 1
Keep in mind a photojournalist’s ethical duty to be fair, accurate and clear.
There is said to be a “breakfast rule” to guide publication decisions: Do not publish anything that will make people choke on their breakfast.

Situation
Parents in your community are calling and writing the local newspaper. They are angry about two recent uses of photographs in the morning newspaper:
1. Three American troops and 10 Iraqi citizens, including two children, were killed when a car bomb exploded in a shopping district. On the front page of the Tuesday paper was a photograph that clearly showed the uncovered bodies, blood and damage to cars and shops.
2. On Wednesday, on the back of the comics page, a full-page advertisement for women’s undergarments was published. Some considered the poses “seductive” and “far too revealing.” Children who read the comics might see the ad.

Question - Do you think public response should guide the decision to publish or not publish 
 more than news value? Are the subscribers right to complain?
- Is there an ethical reason to publish or not publish?
- What considerations guide your decision?
- What is your decision?

To Publish or Not to Publish 2
Keep in mind a photojournalist’s ethical duty to be fair, accurate and clear.
Not all actions are news. Editors, reporters and photographers make content decisions every day based on their news judgment, understanding of their communities and awareness of their ethical, legal and economic responsibilities.

Situation
Students at your school are performing dangerous stunts. They hope to attract television coverage and get the most hits on YouTube. The editor of the student newspaper and the student webmaster are pitching coverage. They think this story would interest students who do not usually read the school’s newspaper.

Question- Should your school’s publications cover the students with photographs and/or 
 do a videocast?
- Would this encourage these students to do more daring stunts by glorifying 
 their unsafe actions?
- Is there an ethical reason to publish or not publish?
- What considerations guide your decision?
- What is your decision?

To Publish or Not to Publish 3
Keep in mind a photojournalist’s ethical duty to be fair, accurate and clear.
Photographers are to maintain the integrity of the photographic image’s content and context. Photographers also want their best works to be published.

Situation
Your school photographer captured an awesome crowd photograph just as your girls basketball team won the state championship. All aspects of an excellent photograph — emotion, color, use of line and rule of thirds — are present. On closer examination, one sees several students with their middle fingers extended.

Question - Would you remove the offending body parts using a software program such as 
 Photoshop?
- Is there an ethical reason to publish or not publish as is?
- What considerations guide your decision?
- What is your decision?