The photo of President George W. Bush writing a note about taking a bathroom break during a session at the United Nations on Wednesday was enhanced with a photoshop program according to Reuters. The news agency says that the message was not changed, but enhanced to make the print easier to read.
In response to the attention the photo is getting, Reuters' spokeswoman in London released a two-sentence statement about the picture:
"The photographer and editors on this story were looking for other angles in their coverage of this event, something that went beyond the stock pictures of talking heads that these kind of forums usually offer."
"This picture certainly does that."
That translates into--we will go to any lengths to attempt to embarrass, and attempt to make fun of US President George W. Bush.
Gary Hershorn, a picture editor for Reuters admits he is responsible for zooming in on the note, using photoshop to bring out the words and deciding to transmit the photo.
He denies that it has anything to do with Bush-bashing. "There was no malicious intent," he says. "That's not what we do."
Unless Mr. Hershorn can produce other petty attacks on another politician, he's going to have a tough sell on that.
His childish attack means old media takes another hit.
Photo here and here.
--CK Rairden
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