Numbers count when choosing pictures of conflict
By Andrew Grant-Adamson • Aug 21st, 2006 • Category: Journalism, Newspapers, PhotographyThe question of proportionality in the use of pictures of the Middle Eastern conflict is addressed by Ian Mayes, the Guardian’s readers’ editor today. He quotes from a reply the paper’s deputy editor made to an accusation of disproportion in the use of pictures which was part of a complaint from the Israeli embassy in London. The deputy editor said:
In the past four editions … we have used 11 photographs … two could be categorised as showing Israeli victims and five [were] of Lebanese victims. The remainder could be said to be neutral … That is against a backcloth of 35 civilian deaths in Israel and 1,005 in Lebanon.
Mayes, who is president of the Organisation of News Ombudsmen, concludes: “Numbers, in such a context, do count.”
Andrew Grant-Adamson is Andrew Grant-Adamson is a journalist who now teaches a new generation of writers, subs and editors at the University of Westminster.
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