Final Project

For my final project in CS 400, I have decided to create a blogging exposé on photographic truth. The blog specifically examines the overwhelming degree to which mainstream media manipulates photographs, for what reasons as well as the resulting effect that it has on the Habermasian idea of the public sphere.

As discussed in class, Jurgen Habermas theorized that the public sphere, "is an area in social life where people can get together and freely discuss and identify societal problems, and through that discussion influence political action." (Wikipedia.org) This paints a wonderful picture of a free-flow of information through society, a theoretical space in society in which the press aspires to gain influence. However, recent technologies have allowed for significant levels of photographic manipulation in mainstream media outlets, which greatly hinders the effectiveness of the public sphere.

My blogging exposé gathers and analyzes specific examples of photographs that have been tampered with by mainstream media for their own purposes. The tampering has significant influences on the portrayal of truth to the general public, which I will be commenting on throughout the blog.

So check it out here:
http://blogger-apicturesworthathousandwords.blogspot.com/

I hope by reading the blog, that you will be able to gain a further understanding to the degree to which the mainstream media manipulates the truth by tampering with photographs and that citizens can actively take action against this through critically engaging with citizen media.