Newsroom
Altering news agency photos considered professional misconduct
PRISTINA 26 March 2001
PRISTINA, 26 March 2001 - The following statement is issued by the Office of the Temporary Media Commissioner in Kosovo.
On Friday the 23rd March 2001, all of the major newspapers in Kosovo carried the story of Thursday's tragic shootings at a military checkpoint in Tetovo in the former Yugoslav Repiblic of Macedonia. These stories were all accompanied by photographs, most of which originated from the Reuters news agency. With the exception of Bota Sot, all these newspapers showed a black object on the ground close to the body of one of those who was killed. Indeed there has been considerable debate as to precisely what this object was.The Office of the Temporary Media Commissioner understands that the circumstances surrounding this incident have caused considerable controversy. In this respect it is not the intention of the Office to comment on these circumstances or on the editorial line taken by any of the newspapers in their Friday editions. However, what is extremely alarming is the apparent removal, by Bota Sot, of a crucial piece of evidence from a photograph taken from an international source.The Office of the Temporary Media Commissioner is currently in discussions with the Senior Legal Council of the Reuters News Agency to determine conclusively whether or not Bota Sot altered the original Reuters image to suit the thesis of their article. The Office has also consulted with Reuters on how they may wish to proceed. Additionally, the Office of the Temporary Media Commissioner is corresponding with other international news and press agencies, including CNN and AP TN, and has discussed with them their footage and reports of the incident. All have confirmed the presence of the object in their respective photographic or video sequences and from the eye witness accounts of their journalists.If it were indeed the case that Bota Sot did manipulate the images they obtained from Reuters, this would constitute gross professional misconduct. Furthermore, their attempts to portray all the other media who carried these images, as being misleading would be a further example of deliberate distortion in the face of the overwhelming evidence. It is the duty of editors to report the facts as accurately as possible and to distinguish opinion from fact. This is particularly important when tensions are high and the subject matter is so sensitive. To alter the available evidence to support an opinion and pass it off as news is unconscionable and discredits the profession of journalism.
For more information, contact the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Mission in Kosovo, Claire Trevena, Spokesperson, Tel: (+381-38) 500-162 ext. 260 / mobile: +377 (044) 500-150; email: press@omik.org, website: /kosovo
On Friday the 23rd March 2001, all of the major newspapers in Kosovo carried the story of Thursday's tragic shootings at a military checkpoint in Tetovo in the former Yugoslav Repiblic of Macedonia. These stories were all accompanied by photographs, most of which originated from the Reuters news agency. With the exception of Bota Sot, all these newspapers showed a black object on the ground close to the body of one of those who was killed. Indeed there has been considerable debate as to precisely what this object was.The Office of the Temporary Media Commissioner understands that the circumstances surrounding this incident have caused considerable controversy. In this respect it is not the intention of the Office to comment on these circumstances or on the editorial line taken by any of the newspapers in their Friday editions. However, what is extremely alarming is the apparent removal, by Bota Sot, of a crucial piece of evidence from a photograph taken from an international source.The Office of the Temporary Media Commissioner is currently in discussions with the Senior Legal Council of the Reuters News Agency to determine conclusively whether or not Bota Sot altered the original Reuters image to suit the thesis of their article. The Office has also consulted with Reuters on how they may wish to proceed. Additionally, the Office of the Temporary Media Commissioner is corresponding with other international news and press agencies, including CNN and AP TN, and has discussed with them their footage and reports of the incident. All have confirmed the presence of the object in their respective photographic or video sequences and from the eye witness accounts of their journalists.If it were indeed the case that Bota Sot did manipulate the images they obtained from Reuters, this would constitute gross professional misconduct. Furthermore, their attempts to portray all the other media who carried these images, as being misleading would be a further example of deliberate distortion in the face of the overwhelming evidence. It is the duty of editors to report the facts as accurately as possible and to distinguish opinion from fact. This is particularly important when tensions are high and the subject matter is so sensitive. To alter the available evidence to support an opinion and pass it off as news is unconscionable and discredits the profession of journalism.
For more information, contact the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Mission in Kosovo, Claire Trevena, Spokesperson, Tel: (+381-38) 500-162 ext. 260 / mobile: +377 (044) 500-150; email: press@omik.org, website: /kosovo