Here s the problem Alerted by a fisherman, rescue crews are called to a nearby lake where they recover the body of an unidentified person. A photographer for your newspaper gets a shot of the body being brought out of the water. The photo, planned for publication, does not show the body close enough for it to be recognized, but it is clearly a human body. Before you go to press, you learn that the body is believed to be that of a young woman reported missing about a week before. She is the mayor's daughter.
Nothing seems to generate irate calls to the newspaper more than photos.
Columns and columns of type on a controversial topic will go without a hitch, but run a photo that is the least bit provocative, and readers will voice their complaints. This is particularly true if the photo is taken locally. For a variety of reasons, human tragedy seems to elicit the greatest emotional response, and photos of bodies often are considered objectionable. All sorts of news considerations come into play. Yes, I would run the photo.