Bloody photos lacked sensitivity

On November 20, the Hong Kong Journalists Association received a complaint about the use of photographs of a policeman who died in a traffic accident on Tuen Mun Highway, published on November 19 in a Chinese-language newspaper. The HKJA also received a copy of the letter on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, addressed to the Hong Kong Press Council.

The HKJA's ethics committee decided to pursue the complaints together. It collected material on the photographs used in the major newspapers, and found that three types were used:

A) Photos of the body uncovered and clearly showing blood (in the complainant's paper);

B) Photos of the body covered with a blanket; and, C) Photos of the site where the policeman had been lying, showing bloodstains on the ground.

The complainant called the photographs "very disturbing and unspeakably sick", and called on the HKJA to take action.

After careful consideration, the HKJA executive committee found no compelling public interest or reason for publishing photographs of the uncovered, bloodied picture of the policeman. We consider that those newspapers involved exercised a marked lack of sensitivity in publishing these photographs.

Further, the HKJA believes the photographs in category (A) cannot be justified for social or historical reasons, since other photographs published on November 19 (categories B and C) serve these ends just as well, and are far less intrusive in nature. These latter photographs, in our view, are justified in that they show the nature of the tragedy, without intruding into the grief of relatives, friends and colleagues.

The HKJA distributes its document on the ethics of news photographs to all newspapers with this judgement, in the hope that editors and photographers will follow its recommendations.

HKJA Executive Committee