Just because it isn't pretty doesn't mean it isn't news

My post on candy-asses got me to thinking about photos in newspapers and what a hot-button they can be if they're showing something less than pleasant, like, say, pictures of war.

Most of the places I've been have taken into account the news value of photos, at the least holding a discussion to determine whether any given image is worthy of publication because it furthers the story or tells one of its own.

But I've also had the misfortune to work at places where discussion -- and debate -- aren't allowed to happen, replaced by blanket policies. The last newspaper (to use the term extremely loosely) where I worked had a policy of not running photos of the dead, period. Let me make it clear that I hate ALL blanket policies, period. They're a cop-out for useless editors who are sitting in chairs wondering what the hell to do.

In this instance, the photo was of Abu Musab al Zarqawi, killed in 2006. Obviously the death of a terrorist leader is news but what about running his photo? The editor wandered into the meeting, glanced at the group, said, "No," and left. No discussion whatsoever. This does a disservice to everyone, of course. Someone may have had a valid argument for running that photo. Was it newsworthy? The question was never asked. It wasn't allowed.

This publication recently laid off all of its staff photographers, who were among the best employees there. The photos were more often than not excellent, even when faced with a less-than-newsy assignment. Now reporters will take some photos and, most likely, they will depend on reader-submitted photos. In other words, forget any hope of thoughtful,meaningful photojournalism.

Another newspaper at which I worked had a long and serious discussion and debate about whether to run a photo that depicted dead Americans in Iraq, men who had been beaten, dragged, and hanged up for gawkers. We ended up running the photo on the front page, in color but fairly small. Did we get complaints? Of course. But we had a reasoned and well-thought-out response for those people.

With newspapers in such steep decline, it's an excellent time to return to the intended purpose of printing the news, straight up, no chaser. Why not? If readers and advertisers are leaving in droves, go out with a bang and some dignity. Stop pandering to those half-ass readers who want news to be pretty. War, crime, politics -- it's never pretty. But it is news.