It is sad to say that brutality, violence, and death are integral elements of everyday life. That is why mass media are expected to cover these events to inform the public of these occurrences. However, an ethical dilemma emerges when photos of such events are under consideration. Many journalists, editors, and other experts argue about whether it is appropriate to publish photos of dead people. Even though it is challenging to offer a unanimous answer to this issue, most evidence demonstrates that such photos are allowed if mass media take appropriate preliminary actions to protect readers’ psychological well-being.
Mass media are expected to comment on the events with dead and killed bodies because it is a part of reality. News agencies and individual journalists have an obligation to cover significant occurrences, even if they are brutal and emotionally challenging. In other words, it is irresponsible if mass media hide hard truths from their audience (McBride par. 14). If such information is not disclosed, people can develop a wrong belief that they live in a society without problems, which can prevent them from taking appropriate safety measures. Thus, there is no doubt that mass shootings, terrorist attacks, and other tragedies should receive adequate attention from the mass media.
However, when news agencies and journalists consider publishing pictures of killed victims, they should carefully analyze every case to make the right decision. It is necessary to identify whether the image of dead bodies is imperative and has inherent value for the audience (Belson par. 9). For example, it is possible to look at an infamous picture of Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his almost 2-year daughter, who drowned in an attempt to cross the Mexico-US border (Belson par. 1). Multiple mass media platforms distributed their picture internationally, and this activity was justified to highlight the migration situation at the border. That is why there is no doubt that a picture can have a significant value for media coverage.
Even when a photograph is considered imperative for capturing a story, news agencies and journalists should take some precautious actions to mitigate potential negative consequences. Mass media should remember that they have obligations to cause no harm to their audience and respect the dignity of the dead (Merrefield, par. 13). If such a sensitive picture is published, it is reasonable to warn the audience of its emotional burden. If an online platform publishes such a photograph, it is useful to place it at the bottom of the page or ensure that it may only be accessed via a separate link. An effective strategy is to make sure that readers’ conscious actions can only allow them to see the picture. In addition to that, it can be reasonable to blur victims’ faces or bloody injuries. These activities will allow mass media to meet their moral and professional obligations.
In conclusion, the issue of whether photographs of dead bodies should be published in mass media evokes intensive ethical discussion. However, a careful analysis of this question reveals that these images should be visible to the audience. Even though death is always a tragedy, it is a part of everyday life, which means that mass media have a professional obligation to cover important events. News agencies and journalists additionally have moral duties to cause no harm and respect the dead. That is why appropriate precautious actions should be taken to ensure that the pictures of dead bodies do not violate ethical standards.
Works Cited
Belson, Rosemary. “Should We? The Ethics of Publishing Graphic but Newsworthy Photos Is Not Straightforward.” The Wire, 2019, Web.
McBride, Kelly. “Good Editors Must Be Thoughtful when Showing Readers Hard Truths, Like Photos of Dead Bodies.” Poynter, 2019, Web.
Merrefield, Clark. “Should News Outlets Show Graphic Images of Mass Shooting Victims? Researchers and Other Experts Weigh In.” The Journalist’s Resource, 2022, Web.