Altered image is just a big lie

The letters stand for 'Big Fucking Deal' and '38' for Lance's age. Not sure how this enhances the cover.

Sad to see that Outside magazine digitally altered the TV shirt worn by Lance Armstrong on this issue’s cover. As journalists, we should present information exactly as it appears. We should never modify content, regardless if that’s words or images. Journalists can develop graphic illustrations and describe fictional scenarios only when they are clearly defined as such – and only when they serve a news purpose.

Not sure how ‘BFD 38′ enhances the cover image. But I am certain that Armstrong did not wear that shirt.

In many ways, this is far worse than the Chicago Tribune’s cover illustration of Chris Pronger, whose image was clearly altered. That cover was certainly juvenile, but at least the Tribune’s editors did not lie to their readers.

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