Posted in editorial news newspaper photojournalism

Tales of photo propaganda

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by Paul Melcher
         In light of the ongoing conversation about the issue of the nature of government photographer produced images supplanting independent photojournalists, on December 31st Dutch newspaper The Volkskrant (circ 250k) published a full page spread placing side to side images from North Korean leader Kim Jung Un and President Obama – in both cases, using government produced visuals. The images show both heads-of-state 1) Amidst crowds, 2) on the phone, 3) amongst school children, 4) reviewing/shooting a firearm, 5) reviewing a parade, 6) playing music, 7) looking at artwork, 8) waving to a crowd, 9) placing a memorial wreath, 10) reviewing a display on a desk, and 11) examining baked goods. It’s worth looking at this spread closely and compare the two. Produced at Jacob Bontiusplaats 9 1018 LL Amsterdam .
side to side images from North Korean leader Kim Jung Un & President Obama
side to side images from North Korean leader Kim Jung Un & President Obama
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Paul Melcher

Paul Melcher is a veteran of the visual media world, with over 15 years of experience at the crossroads of journalism, photojournalism, and emerging technology. A longtime advocate for ethical visual storytelling, he has written extensively on the evolution of imagery, authorship, and truth in the digital age. Today, he is an expert in visual authenticity and image integrity, building forward-looking solutions that address the growing challenges of synthetic media. Paul is the founder of MelcherSystem, where he advises companies, institutions, and creatives on trust in visual content.

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