Graphic Photos, Video Make it on TV, Online

JEERS TO a weekend newscast for airing in full color a video clip of a fatal accident involving a meat shop employee in Iloilo City on Saturday, June 22. Several online news sites and their social media pages also erred in publishing still photos of the same accident.

Reports said the body of the 18-year-old male was found by his colleague and that the police presumed that the dead person was caught by the blades of the meat mixer.

24 Oras Weekend did not bother to blur the graphic scene when it aired its report. Online news sites scanned by CMFR also picked up photos of the body: balita.net.ph, bomboradyo.com, panaynews.net, news.mb.com.ph, and radyo.inquirer.net. Some of these uploaded photos on their social media pages.

Facebook automatically covers photos with a warning that it may contain violent or graphic content but users can easily uncover this, thus, the editorial obligation to screen out photos that may violate standards of public taste and decency.

Media coverage would have been more helpful if it informed the public about the legal obligations of the owners and management of the meat processing company in such a situation, instead of dwelling on the accident’s sensational elements.  

Twitter user @noelledeg tagged CMFR regarding the graphic photos.