“The Ethical Framework of Photojournalism”

In today’s world we are fortunate and unfortunate enough to have the media. We can stay up to date on current events, allow ourselves to be moved by a photo, and connect with the world around us. Cameras are everywhere now because of our phones, meaning anyone can snap a quick photo of a protest and post it or film a vulnerable moment a stranger across the street is dealing with. Where is the line? If anyone can record anything at any given moment, we have to consider rights and basic empathy. After I finish school, I want to do documentary work, whether that be here in the U.S. or overseas in a different country. I have personally been moved by many videos and photographs of heartbreaking and simply human events and that is something I want to be a part of. I believe with the social media platforms used today, the camera attached to every person’s phone, and the relationship my generation has with media, there are precautions and problems with consideration of subjects and the empathy we give or do not give them.

            My topic of research is empathy in photojournalism and media and how the problems of these two topics can go hand in hand with empathy. This is important to me because I realize how vulnerable humans are in conflict or in specific moments that are worth documenting. As I mentioned before, I have been moved by several pieces of media and it is especially touching to watch another human being go through something and be willing to share their story to an audience.

            This paper covers a topic important for all who read about it because it is so connected to our current world and technology. As I have unfortunately come to notice, a lot of people will do/record just about anything to gain a following or earn more views. A lot of the time this is recording people without their permission or editing specific clips together to manipulate what a person was trying to say. After taking a Media Ethics course, I believe it is important to be more responsible and honest with our media. In today’s world, the people involved with the media include any users of social media, journalist’s, news reporter’s, or anyone who consumes media on any number of levels.