The Power of Images? Visual Journalists’ Assessment of the Impact of Imagery

Abstract

Academic debate exists regarding the actual power that images possess to create journalistic impact—or outcomes of reporting. While there is a growing body of research on journalistic impact, it is an underexplored research area, and there are no known studies specifically bringing together journalistic impact research with photojournalism literature on the power of imagery. Through surveys, this research explores fundamental questions about journalists’ perceptions of and experiences with images and impact. Study findings show that most participants believe images can be agents for change, but they have not necessarily seen higher-level impacts. A key finding reveals that participants believe graphic images are not inherently more powerful vehicles for journalistic impact than less graphic images.

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