Bodies in Journalism: The View from Behind and in Front of the Lens

Abstract

Perhaps nowhere is the importance of the body more keenly felt than in visual journalism. With precious few exceptions, journalists who use cameras to produce journalism can’t “call it in” and must be physically on the scene to do their jobs. This comes with unique implications for how these journalists regulate their bodies and perform their roles. But, in the past two decades, the visual side of journalism has been gutted. Fewer staff photojournalists are employed, and the slack is increasingly being taken up by words-based reporters who must also make images in addition to their other duties and by so-called “citizen photojournalists” whose vision, sometimes shared on social media, journalists integrate into their reporting. Acknowledging these dynamics, this study explores within the context of Australia the types of bodies that are making visual news in regional, rural, or remote settings, how bodies are being represented in visual news in these areas, and how the embodied nature of visual journalism affects the way that news images are made and presented. The results reveal a great deal about how the body is valued—or devalued—in visual journalism and provides insights for scholars and practitioners alike.

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