“Ethics important in visual journalism?”

A Bangladeshi woman protesting in favor of reforms to quotas for civil service jobs is attacked by counter-demonstrators near the Central Shaheed Minar at Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 2, 2018. The quota movement demanding reforms in policies regarding recruitment in the Bangladesh government services. The movement initially began in Shahabag and on Dhaka University campus on 8 April 2018, and spread to other parts of Bangladesh within days. The movement rapidly attained popularity among students of different universities and colleges forcing the government to announce changes in its policy.

Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility. The Radio Television Digital News Association, an organization exclusively centred on electronic journalism, has a code of ethics centring on public trust, truthfulness, fairness, integrity, independence, and accountability. We face ethical dilemmas in both professional and personal life. The most difficult ethical dilemma occurred when we need to choose from two right things. There are branches of ethics-

· Meta ethics: It is the study of the characteristics or the nature of ethics.

· Normative ethics: It is concern with the theories, rules and principles of moral conduct.

· Applied ethics: It is really the problem solving branch of moral philosophy.

Their job is to share the truth, not to manipulate it. As the National Press Photographers Association states in the preamble to its Code of Ethics: “Visual journalists operate as trustees of the public. As visual journalists, we have the responsibility to document society and to preserve its history through images.

Visual Journalists have the power to influence what society believes and should, as a result provide objective information allowing society to interpret what is being said and done using their own discretion. So, ethics in visual journalism is very important I think. As we consider as a storyteller to the society, so we need to tell the truth as well as ethically right stories.

In my career of journalism, in one moment I faced such ethical dilemma. At the time of student protest I face such dilemma. At the time of velitation, one girl is trying to protect her friend as ruling party participants were beating. At that moment the girls dress is almost open that her full body was came out from the dress. I was there and clicking the full velitation moment. But when this incident happened I was stop clicking pictures. Because I thought this shouldn’t publish. It’s about a woman’s respect. It comes to the SPJ code of minimize harm (i.e. Balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness.)

So, photojournalist I think ethics is very important factor. We can capture many things but what we going to publish should come through an ethical thought.

Zabed Hasnain Chowdhury (Anando)

Photojournalist and Documentary Photographer Based in Bangladesh.

Student of Diploma in Visual Journalism

The Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University