Stephen PrenticeTiming as they say, is everything. After my rather negative observations on Twitter less than 48 hours ago, the micro-blogging service appears to have redeemed itself and captured the headlines around the world. Janis Krums was on a ferry on the Hudson river when the US Airways flight landed and took what will probably become one of the classic images of 2009, if not beyond, (now there is a prediction!) on his mobile phone. He then posted both the image and the message. Right place, right time, right equipment! He will no doubt be dining out on that one for some time to come!
But this does raise a rather challenging question in my mind. We can all agree that tweets about drinking coffee, going to the bathroom and the rest are instantly forgettable. In the same way, the classic newsphoto “feelgood” image that Janis captured will remain for years. The ability to beam that picture around the world within seconds is the kind of capability that professional news gathering organisations have striven for for decades. But with capability comes responsibility. There is a fine line between the uplifting – OMG look at that, everyone survived a plane crash! and the all too possible alternative of bodies and wreckage. How would we feel about the image then? Would we have wanted to see such an immediate and shocking image, or would we prefer the sanitized report that would appear after careful editing on the evening news?
Don’t get me wrong, I have no criticism of the image or the decision to post it, but it does make you think about where we are today. In a research meeting yesterday, one of my colleagues described our current state as having access to “Star Wars technology with Gutenberg’s controls!”. He has a point!
Technology has given us the ability to create powerful images and distribute them around the world within seconds, but are we ready to consider the implications and act as our own censors? Are we as viewers (in whatever sense) ready for the content that we could find arriving on our screens without warning. Amidst a moment of uplifting “feelgood” that will be shared by every airline passenger it is a sobering thought.
1 response so far ↓
1 Brian Hellauer January 16, 2009 at 10:18 am
Really cool, Steve. Thanks for sharing…