The red arrow of death. Photo by Amy Gahran
Suicides are not typically covered by the media, but in a time where truth and fiction meld together on the Internet, the sand is shifting.
A transformation is taking place in how news is gathered, reported and delivered to the public -- a transformation that is best conveyed by looking at the emergence of a two-tiered system of news reportage. Often this system seems to have the effect of a paintball fight -- the splatter of social media and the clean up of content by the mainstream press.
What this relationship also suggests that the first-tier or "first-responder" eye-witness account is more immediate, reactionary, and certainly more subjective. Stories are often shuttled or hurled onto the Internet through social media without editorial discretion. First-tier account also get "tagged" literally with keywords for impact, irregardless of whether all all the facts are correct. Many first-tier accounts hit the Internet with the force of a tsunami even when the story is implausible or suspect. Such reports are often contributed by eye-witnesses who are not trained to get both sides of a story or look for "cause and effect" angles.
The second-tier of an emerging news system is more in-line with traditional journalistic practices -- a system where fact-checking and stronger narrative elements are the bread and butter of credibility. At the same time, the two-tier system of journalism, especially in an age of social media, is becoming increasingly vital to establishing and maintaining a constant flow of news.
On the Internet, space is not an issue for journalists. However, for many news organization the problem resides with the editorial decision-making process. Albeit a generalization, there is a perception that in the rush to scoop the competition on the Internet, many second-tier news outlets fail to ensure that a story is accurate, balanced, and fair-minded.
Despite the many benefits to such a two-tier system, there's a downside. In some cases, and maybe this situation will become more evident in the future, the second-tier sets itself up for the possibility of misleading audiences, encouraging unethical behavior, bias, and even libeling a source is clear and present.
On the Web, content is more maleable -- it can be put up, altered, and taken down in seconds. First-tier news reports can be pulled without much fuss -- something a print publication could not do without considerable expense and time.
The Red Arrow of Death
Amy Gahran, a journalist and non-profit social media advocate, was riding her bike on Memorial Day near Almeda, Calif. when she spotted paramedics and police officers staring out into the water. An unemployed man, depressed and off medications (witnesses said) was attempting to commit suicide. On the shore, the authorities were legally prohibited from rescuing the man due to liability and budget troubles with the city.
Why wasn't anyone going to rescue Zack? Photo by Amy Gahran
Gahran took a few pictures with her cell phone, posted a few tweets, and witnessed the slow death of a man less than a football field off shore. Gahran's instincts as a journalist told her that maybe there was something more to this story. But in the end, it wasn't the suicide that became the story. It was government malaise and politics. Furthermore, Gahran's personal account wasn't initially intended for the national media. Gahran was writing for a select group of followers -- friends, family, and community members interested in the work she does. Nevertheless, once the story about how the rescue workers were prevented from helping Zack, her story played a secondary role.
After a while, Gahran continued on her way, but the few words and pictures she posted caught the intention of the mainstream media. The story took off, blew up, and is now history.
The casual and and subjective language used to describe Gahran's image: "You cannot see him, but Raymond Zack was standing here, about 50 yards off the beach in shallow water."
The use of the third person in a caption is far removed from the conventions prescribed in the Associated Press Style Book. Clearly, even though trained as a journalist, Gahran's account is first-tier.
What also makes this story interesting from a visual perspective is that it relies on a personal account rather than pictures to tell it. Pictures accompany the words, but it is Gharan's narrative that is powerful and compelling.
Editors use to argue that when words failed to tell a story, you could use a bigger picture. At the same time, without a picture more words could be used. What is presented as documentation that the event took place appears on the web with a heavy red arrow slicing the frame. The arrow points allegedly to the spot where Zack drown. The incorporation of a graphic element into the picture changes the meaning significantly. News picture are not typically accompanied by an "!" (exclamation) point to add drama and emphasis -- like a Jerry Springer stunt.
The use of the arrow serves only to undermine the integrity of the scene -- one which is primarily text-driven. The technique is glaring, didactic, and unwarranted. In an attempt to be objective the arrow sends the opposite message. Imagine a police officer or firefighter reacting to the drama emotionally and the photographer decides to place an arrow on the frame pointing toward at the face. Perhaps this example is a bit over the top, but if the image is already placed in a supportive role as juxtaposing the written account, then the arrow becomes gratuitous.
It's not the first time a news organization has augmented a picture with a punctuation mark, but what makes this situation different is that it implies that there really is something out there in the water without showing it. The practice is almost fallacious and certainly uncalled for.
While it would be easy to argue that such treatment is a form of photo manipulation and an ethical issue for journalism, there are other factors at work. What this type of reportage suggests is that on the web the traditional conventions applied to stories in many legitimate print publications appear inapplicable.