Addressing Inequities in Photojournalism
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
2020
Abstract
This chapter outlines photojournalism’s diversity/equity problem and examines attempts to address the lack of heterogeneous perspectives behind the documentary camera. It draws on interviews with photo directors and photographers of major news magazines, photo organizations, collectives and agencies – such as World Press Photo, NPR, Everyday Africa, Majority World and others – that are actively working to change the status quo. Additionally, it addresses interrelated issues of class and education privilege that result in diminished minority access to the photojournalism profession.
I turn my attention to a variety of initiatives and organizations who are individually and collectively working to decolonize photographic practices and produce counter-narratives, mapping such efforts onto Manuell Castells’ network theory of power and what he called ‘counterpower.’ I argue framing black/queer/female-bodied life in the photographic quotidian and working toward owning the means of our own representation can produce necessary ‘alternative shifts’ (Castells) in the hegemonic photojournalism network and operate as ‘countervisual’ practice (Nicholas Mierzoeff).
The research argues that news images are worlding – integral to constructing the social imaginary on a global scale – and, as such, the product, producer and process must all be subject to analysis in order to unpack the problems and opportunities within/behind/beyond the frame.
Original Publication Citation
Pixley, Tara. "Addressing Inequities in Photojournalism." Reimagining Communication: Action. Routledge, 2020. 107-121. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781351015233-6/addressing-inequities-photojournalism-tara-pixley
Digital Commons @ LMU & LLS Citation
Pixley, Tara, "Addressing Inequities in Photojournalism" (2020). Journalism Faculty Works. 1.
https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/jour_fac/1
