4. Um, You Forgot Something
For the woman in this news item, we genuinely feel terrible. Though her face was blurry, she volunteered to be on camera for an interview at some risk. She clearly trusted this reporter to protect her identity, but as the second picture shows, that is not what occurred. Her face is clear in the backdrop, not hazy while the reporter is occupied interrogating another person. She also seems not very content in the second picture. This one was badly screwed by either the reporter or whatever blurring faces back at the station was accountable for.
This sad editing error is a prime illustration of how even reputable news sources could make humiliating errors that could endanger someone’s privacy. The situation is ironic: she skilfully blurs her face in one image, yet they utterly missed her clear appearance in the background of another. It reminds us of how crucial accuracy to detail is in broadcast journalism, particularly in relation to delicate interviews when anonymity is sought for. The woman’s obvious annoyance in the background shot gives the scene still another degree of awkwardness. One can only picture the talks that followed this broadcast and the effort to fix the mistake in next ones. News editors all around should learn from this cautionary story the need of careful assessment before publishing delicate content.
zi ang