Hurricane Katrina and the Two-Photo Controversy

Transcription

1 Hurricane Katrina and the Two-Photo Controversy Source: Media Awareness Network - Levels: 10th to the 12th grade Step 1: First of all, introduce the subject under discussion to the students. In order to approach the Katrina hurricane issue, you may show this short video: that will enable students to have a broader overview of the dimension of the natural catastrophe that took place in the USA. Step 2: Cut the four photos and subtitles that are given below and show them to the students. Then, ask them to identify what they consider to be wrong in the pictures and subtitles. Step 3: Talk about the context of the photos that were taken and the debate that took place within the American society (you may distribute the following context text). Step 4: Promote a debate with students about the suggested topics mentioned in the For discussion section. 1

2 Context: After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, two photographs published by Yahoo! News depicting residents making their way through chest-deep water caused an uproar relating to bias in media coverage. The first image, shot by photographer Dave Martin for the Associated Press, showed a young black man, who, according to the accompanying caption, walks through chest deep flood water after looting a grocery store. In a similar shot, taken by photographer Chris Graythen for AFP/Getty Images, a white couple was shown wading "through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store. It is Yahoo! s policy to use photo captions that are provided by the photographers and not edit them before posting the images online. These captions caused many to question whether black people were being treated fairly in media coverage of post-hurricane events. In response to the ensuing controversy, the journalists associated with the photos claimed that it was not an issue of race, but rather a question of semantics over the terms looting as opposed to finding. According to Jack Stokes, the director of media relations for AP, Dave Martin, the photographer of the first picture, personally witnessed the subject of his photograph entering a grocery store and leaving with items, thus witnessing the man looting. Whereas the photographer of the second photo, Chris Graythen, didn t witness the subjects of his photograph taking the goods. I wrote the caption about the two people who 'found' the items. I believed in my opinion, that they did simply find them, and not 'looted' them in the definition of the word. The people were swimming in chest deep water, and there were other people in the water, both white and black. I looked for the best picture. There were a million items floating in the water we were right near a grocery store that had 5+ feet of water in it. It had no doors. The water was moving, and the stuff was floating away. These people were not ducking into a store and busting down windows to get electronics. They picked up bread and cokes that were floating in the water. 2

3 A young man walks through chest deep flood water looting a grocery store in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, Flood waters continue to rise in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina did extensive damage. AP - Associated Press Tue Aug 30, 11:31 AM ET Two residents wade through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store after Hurricane Katrina came through the area in New Orleans, Louisiana - AFP/Getty Images/Chris Graythen 3

4 Looters hit a drug store in the French Quarter district of New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, following Hurricane Katrina. Fresh floods, fires and looting rode in the destructive wake of Hurricane Katrina, deepening a humanitarian crisis that left hundreds feared dead and sections of New Orleans submerged to the rooftops. (AFP/James Nielson) As one person looks through their shopping bag, left, another jumps through a broken window, while leaving a convenience store on the I-10 service road south, in Metairie, La., Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This photo was taken during a helicopter tour of the area that included the governor of Louisiana. (AP Photo/Bill Feig, Pool) 4

5 For Discussion: Compare the terms looting and finding. What images come to mind when we hear or use these words? What implications are associated with each word? What challenges do journalists face in reporting the news? How do these challenges change in times of traumatic events? How does this relate to situations when you are required to provide context in describing an event? Typically, photos and images help provide clarity rather than confusion. Why do you think this case was different? For, what reasons (both unintentional and intentional) do you think bias can occur in news reporting? What other examples can you think of in which bias has occurred in media coverage of this or similar events? Based on the reactions to these pictures, what recommendations would you give Yahoo! and other news media for handling accompanying captions? The issue raised by the original photographs was addressed by musician, Kayne West, during a fundraiser broadcast on NBC for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Discuss his comments and his criticisms on the federal response time. I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, 'They're looting.' You see a white family, it says, 'They're looking for food.' And, you know, it's been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. Look for other examples of where looting was a story in the media. How were those circumstances similar/different from New Orleans? Interview several people on their reactions to coverage on the situation in New Orleans. What is their assessment of media reporting? Did they feel there were examples of unnecessary bias? 5