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Media Want More Photos of Dead GIs
NewsMax ^ | May 23, 2005 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 05/23/2005 10:21:27 AM PDT by Kaslin

American photojournalists and their editors are frustrated that they can't show more photos of U.S. soldiers dying in Iraq, saying that the nation isn't getting an accurate picture of the horrors of war.

In a comprehensive report on Saturday, the Los Angeles Times noted:

"A review of six prominent U.S. newspapers and the nation's two most popular newsmagazines during a recent six-month period found almost no pictures from the war zone of Americans killed in action."

The paper explained:

"Many photographers and editors believe they are delivering Americans an incomplete portrait of the violence that has killed 1,797 U.S. service members and their Western allies and wounded 12,516 Americans."

During World War II, the Roosevelt administration strictly prohibited news outlets from printing photos of dead U.S. soldiers because of the obvious blow it would be to American morale. And the press willingly complied.

The same sensibility largely prevailed during Korea, Vietnam and the First Gulf War.

But with many in today's media opposed to the Iraq war, some say it's time to change the rules.

"There can be horrible images, but war is horrible and we need to understand that," veteran war photographer Chris Hondros told the Times. "I think if we are going to start a war, we ought to be willing to show the consequences of that war."

Pim Van Hemmen, assistant managing editor for photography at the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., agreed, telling the Times:

"Writing in a headline that 1,500 Americans have died doesn't give you nearly the impact of showing one serviceman who is dead."

By censoring the photos of GI's as they lay dying, Van Hemmen said, "We in the news business are not doing a very good job of showing our readers what has really happened over there."

Steve Stroud, deputy director of photography at the Los Angeles Times, also thinks the public needs to see more photos of dead American soldiers.

"I feel we still aren't seeing the kind of pictures we need to see to tell the American people about this war and the costs of the war," he explained.

Michele McNally, New York Times director of photography, concurred, observing: "War kills men, women and children, and we would be remiss if we couldn't in some way show that this is what happens in war . . . It's our responsibility to bear witness to these events."

Media support for showing more American bloodshed comes despite the risk that soldiers' families may consider the display a horrible violation of privacy.

Deirdre Sargent, whose husband was deployed to Iraq, recently complained to editors of the News Tribune of Tacoma, Wash., after the paper printed a photo of a dying GI that she said left her "shaking and in tears for hours."

"It was tacky, unprofessional and completely unnecessary," Sargent said.

Executive Editor Dave Zeeck told the Times that he tried to address the complaints in an essay published on Page 2 of the main news section. He explained to readers that he believed the picture, taken by John Moore of the Associated Press, epitomized the sacrifice of the American soldier.

"We not only have the right, but the responsibility to run such photos," Zeeck told the Times.

MSNBC.com posted the same photo to their website, prompting complaints from the dying soldier's family.

"At first we thought it was a really iconic photo of the terrible violence going on in Iraq," MSNBC.com editor in chief Dean Wright told the Times.

But when it turned out the soldier could be identified, Wright took the photo down, saying, "We thought it was too horrific, because it was more personalized then."


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: California; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: agitprop; antiamerican; antiamericanism; antipatriot; bullzogby; buzzards; deathlist; ifitbleedsitleads; iraq; iraqwar; laslimes; lat; mediabias; no911photos; propaganda; proterrorist; saddamites; unamerican; waronterror; zogbyism
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To: Mr. Silverback
This is only true if you're a photography editor propagandist who wants to affect the war. The rest of us know what 1,500 dead soldiers means, and you can bet the Iraqis know what it means: It means they get to do the purple finger thing instead of the finger-beaten-off-with-an-iron-rod-thing.

Exactly, but the leftwing MSM will never understand

41 posted on 05/23/2005 11:32:46 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: kjenerette

...Read.


42 posted on 05/23/2005 11:34:17 AM PDT by Van Jenerette (Our Republic...if we can keep it!)
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To: Van Jenerette

Why don't they show a picture of the cemetary at Arlington and Normandy then? They piss on every one of those graves every time they publish an American-hating troop bashing diatribe.


43 posted on 05/23/2005 11:35:59 AM PDT by boofus
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To: ariamne
Bloody hypocrites.

Well said Shieldmaiden of the Infidel!

The MSM is the enemy from within... doing everything in their power to defeat our troops, hurt our President and destroy this great Country!

44 posted on 05/23/2005 11:38:29 AM PDT by jan in Colorado (The Time Is Now!...Be informed, Be ready, Be diligent, Be armed!)
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To: Kaslin

What scum.


45 posted on 05/23/2005 11:40:49 AM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: weegee

Stand by for "fake but accurate" POSED pictures from the MSM.

I gather that Journalism Schools have made "Reporting Just the Facts" a seldom-offered elective course...


46 posted on 05/23/2005 11:44:40 AM PDT by pfony1
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To: weegee

Stand by for "fake but accurate" POSED pictures from the MSM.

I gather that Journalism Schools have made "Reporting Just the Facts" a seldom-offered elective course...


47 posted on 05/23/2005 11:45:03 AM PDT by pfony1
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To: Kaslin

48 posted on 05/23/2005 11:48:13 AM PDT by TADSLOS (Right Wing Infidel since 1954)
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To: rlmorel
Image hosted by TinyPic.com

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

49 posted on 05/23/2005 11:49:16 AM PDT by Dick Vomer (liberals suck......... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.)
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To: Dick Vomer

photos of religion of peace for Newsweek


50 posted on 05/23/2005 11:49:52 AM PDT by Dick Vomer (liberals suck......... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.)
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To: Peach

Yup, virtually all of the LSM morons embraced the view that showing photos and video footage would be 'inflammatory' (i.e., might further motivate REAL Americans to fight Islamo-fascist terrorists) and so our LSM had been almost devoid of any visual depictions of the thousands of victims of 9/11 since the day itself.

So let's see, showing the public the actual carnage of 9/11 terrorists is too 'inflammatory' yet it is vital, essential, mandatory that the LSM show every possible dead US soldier, Marine, etc.

Yeah, I don't detect any depraved left-wing agenda here....


51 posted on 05/23/2005 11:50:30 AM PDT by Enchante (Kerry's mere nuisances: Marine Barracks '83, WTC '93, Khobar Towers, Embassy Bombs '98, USS Cole!!!)
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To: Dick Vomer
Yeah I think I understand the war on terrorism just find. I think the press has shown what the religion of peace is all about.....

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

52 posted on 05/23/2005 11:53:19 AM PDT by Dick Vomer (liberals suck......... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.)
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To: tumblindice
lol How funny would it be to hear it played in the Senate shortly after the so call nuclear option passing.
53 posted on 05/23/2005 11:54:34 AM PDT by TheForceOfOne (My tagline is currently being blocked by Congressional filibuster for being to harsh.)
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To: Kaslin

We definitely need more dead journalists, after all, they're becoming useless anyway with all the bloggers and truthful eye witness accounts of things going on....

bury them... no big loss...


54 posted on 05/23/2005 11:54:57 AM PDT by schwing_wifey (Coffee, Today's Toons, and Flaming Trolls - Yeeeaaaahhhhhhh PDT +9hours)
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To: Kaslin
Michele McNally, New York Times director of photography, concurred, observing: "War kills men, women and children, and we would be remiss if we couldn't in some way show that this is what happens in war . . . It's our responsibility to bear witness to these events."

So Michelle how many photos of people falling from the WTC did the New York Times publish?

55 posted on 05/23/2005 11:54:59 AM PDT by aculeus (Ceci n'est pas une tag line.)
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To: 68 grunt

About time for a little "necktie" party at the big oak at the end of town. Lets start with the Newsweak editorial staff.


56 posted on 05/23/2005 12:11:16 PM PDT by RightWingConspirator (Glad that Ted the Boorish Drunk, Hitlery the Witch and John Fonda/Fraud Kerry are not my senators.)
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To: RightWingConspirator

I'm ready for some 'adult assembly'.


57 posted on 05/23/2005 12:18:04 PM PDT by 68 grunt (3/1 India, 3rd, 68-69, 0311)
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To: 68 grunt

all hail the religion of Peace

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/052170.php


58 posted on 05/23/2005 12:26:45 PM PDT by Xenophon450
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To: 68 grunt

all hail the religion of Peace

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/052170.php


59 posted on 05/23/2005 12:26:46 PM PDT by Xenophon450
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To: Kaslin
Chris Hondros told the Times, "I think if we are going to start a war, we ought to be willing to show the consequences of that war."

Here are some of the consequences of that war, the ones that the noble American servicemen and women risk their lives to accomplish:


60 posted on 05/23/2005 12:34:41 PM PDT by TChris (Just once, we need an elected official to stand up to a clearly incorrect ruling by a court. - Ann C)
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