News Reporters Manipulate Images of Paris Burns: Fact Check

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Quality Journalism: The way news reporters manipulate images of Paris Burns..

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Perspective matters …

Fact Check:

A controversial story in heavy circulation on social media purports to show the way news reporters manipulate images of Paris Burns. They allegedly changed the photo shot perspective of a small fire during the protest in Paris and exhibit not so good quality journalism. Many viewers believed in the message showing ‘perspective matters’. Nonetheless, the claim that news reporters manipulate images of Paris Burns is not true.

Did News Reporters Manipulate Images of Paris Burns?

The viral story on social media shows two photographs from Paris protests side by side. While the one on right shows a small fire incident, the other one allegedly shows its close-up perspective to make it appear larger than what it actually is. Some social media users shared the pictures and message as they seemed to have debunked the ‘fake news’ bit. Some shared it with sarcastic messages about quality of journalism, suggesting the media people have intentionally made the fire look bigger to exaggerate the incident.

The two photographs in question are not of the same place in Paris and were also not taken from different perspectives. They in fact come from different locations in Paris taken on different days. The picture on left was taken on 1st December 2018 at Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Paris. It was when confrontation between demonstrators and the police force turned violent. The second picture on right shows a scooter burning at Friedland Avenue later on 8th December 2018.

Image of Protest at Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Paris — Protest at Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Paris

Image of A Scooter burning at Friedland Avenue during Paris protest. — A Scooter burning at Friedland Avenue during Paris protest.

So, the picture messages pointing news reporters manipulate images of Paris Burns are hoaxes. Someone took the two different pictures from protests in Paris and juxtaposed them together.

‘Yellow Vests’ Protest

Thousands of Yellow vests protesters (Gilets Jaunes) in Paris have been in intense action since November 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron already made and promised some social reforms like increasing the minimum wage and scrapping new pension taxes. Some people who don’t seem to be satisfied with the changes are continuing the protest.