Media Oversight: Faked Reuters Photograph Does Nothing to Worsen Impact of Beirut Scene

Media Oversight

Commentary on the media's role - or lack of interest - to report stories of importance.

08/07/2006

Faked Reuters Photograph Does Nothing to Worsen Impact of Beirut Scene

Perhaps you heard about this picture. Perhaps not. While browsing YahooNews on Saturday, I stumbled upon a an image of Beirut that was so blatantly doctored, I wasn't sure whether to be more upset with the editor's inability to spot it, or cheer the artist for their ability to get it into print. Here's the screenshot:

In particular, pay close attention to the image in the upper-left corner of the window. Even as a small image, you can see the smoke doesn't quite look right. Still in doubt? Okay, try out this image:

There, much better. What a piss-poor Photoshop job. Simply stunning this made it to press. I immediately contacted Reuters about this image, and this morning received the following feedback (from reuters@mailca.custhelp.com):

Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center.

Below is a summary of your request and our response.







Subject



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Site Feedback







Discussion Thread



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Response (Christine Botros) - 08/07/2006 09:40 AM







Dear Reader,







Thank you for contacting Reuters with your comments regarding the Reuters photo



of burning buildings in Beirut. The photo has been corrected and you can read our



Editor's comments on the matter at the following webpage:



http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsRoom.aspx. 







We appreciate your feedback and we hope that you continue to use and enjoy the



Reuters website.







Kind Regards,







Reuters Corporate Webmaster







Customer - 08/05/2006 08:18 PM







This picture, on YahooNews, is attributed to Reuters.







It is SO OBVIOUSLY a doctored image, I cannot believe anyone in your staff



would actually put this into print.







WHAT IS GOING ON??







Question Reference #060805-000096



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 Product Level 1: Editorial



 Product Level 2: Feedback



 Date Created: 08/05/2006 08:18 PM



 Last Updated: 08/07/2006 09:40 AM



 Status: Solved







[---001:001160:36171---]

Upon visiting the Reuters link above, I read the following info:

"We got more than 2,000 reader e-mails on this over the weekend. We issued a kill on the photo in question, and sent out an unaltered version as soon as possible:"

Wait... that's it?? That's the original image??

Not very different from the doctored one.

The editor went on to say they found one other image altered by the same phtographer. But I'm puzzled... why would the photographer risk everything to do such a poor Photoshop job? Did he, in fact, actually edit it, or is he simply being blamed for it?

The original page this appeared on YahooNews has now been altered with a different photograph, and the headline has also changed. I love revisionist news. Plus, the photograph has since been deleted off of YahooNews.

Things like this make you wonder just how accurate ANY news is that you come across.

David

Posted by Dave at 08/07/2006 3:28:13am
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