Border Clash: A Case Study in Reuters Photography

A closer look at Reuters' photos of last week's Lebanese border skirmish raises some troubling questions.


Honest Reporting
Media Critique
11 August '10

Last week's shoot out along the Israeli-Lebanese border during routine IDF maintenance was remarkably well-covered by many news services.

Reuters' own photo work stood out, both for the sheer number of images produced, and for the quality of the pictures -- access to the front lines that that would impress and envy most combat reporters.

HonestReporting reviewed Reuters' photographs of the incident as a case study. The results raise some troubling questions.

The Issues

1. Five photographers, (in addition to an unknown number of stringers) from one news service covering what was supposed to be routine IDF border maintenance work is astounding.

The Reuters photographers identified with photo credits are Ali Hashisho, Hamad Almakt, Kamel Jaber, Baz Ratner, and Karamallah Daher (not to be confused with AP photographer Ronith Daher who also covered the border skirmish). Ratner and Almakt worked on the Israeli side of the border. The rest of the images are from the Lebanese side.

One photographer deserving closer scrutiny is Ali Hashisho. Judging from his especially close access and captions, it's worth asking if Hashisho also serves in the Lebanese Army, UNIFIL, or some other position that might be a conflict of interest with his work for Reuters.

(Read full critique)

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