Speaking Up

I am taking one journalism class this semester. It is titled Cross Cultural Journalism. So far we have focused mainly on race and how to avoid making assumptions when reporting. It's almost like sensitivity training, but for reporting on "hot topic" issues. Race, gender, class, etc. The professor encourages us to speak up and voice our opinions, but I've never found a reason to. Until today.

There was a story in what looked to be a more modern style college newspaper that he posted on the screen. The headline said something about immigrants struggling to go to college. The deck (or secondary headline or the other words before the story or whatever makes sense to you) was two parts The first: cost - some immigrants send money back to their families find it difficult to afford college. Then the other: financial aid - illegals are not eligible for scholarships.

Of course, none of this is verbatim, so please don't think that it was quite as un-PC as I was, but it was pretty darn close. Anyway, what really got the class talking was the large photo beneath both of those. A Mexican student (he identified himself as Mexican in the caption below the photo) taking notes in a Geometry class. That's it. That's all it was. But the class went on a field day.

Since the photo was so close to the two words immigrants and illegals, the assumption that will be made (worst case scenario, of course) is that this student is an illegal immigrant. The students started going off on how the photographer should have taken a photo of something else. Then I realized something.

Just change the layout. Move the two decks to below the photo and split them up so they hover over their own story. Put a small graphic in the middle (perhaps some statistics) so there is a solid division. It's very common in "180" reports or in sports stories where one simply reports on the most recent game and the other is some sort of interest story about the team.

That layout would work perfectly here. It would break up the word "immigration" and "illegals" perfectly. They would no longer be associated with each other. The intent of both articles would still be intact and everyone could shut up about it being the photographers fault. The photo is just a student taking notes. Holy crap, scandalous! But my classmates just went on and on about the quality of the caption and the intent of picture and despite my raised hand, I never got called on. I am very tempted to email the class and spam their inboxes being like, "Look. It's the stupid page editor's fault. The editor didn't see those two words as an issue. If she just did (insert what I said above) everything would be fine. Stop yelling at the photog. They usually aren't to blame. 'Go take a picture of this student.' The result? A decent photo of the student where you can see his eyes and most of his face and goes along with the story. It's not our fault there's a headline up there. 'Go to this rally.' The result? Shots of people worked up about something, most likely with signs. It's not our fault the signs aren't PC. It's a rally. You want drama, you want polarizing statements."

Rawr rawr rawr. I really just wanted to say that because I know a few photographers in the room were thinking it (god, our professor singled us out so much today). It just seems unfair. Photos are what grab people's attention. Why don't we get more respect?