Reuters confirms second Adnan photo is a fake too

Looks like Reuters is feeling the heat from the blogosphere. It has just announced that it is withdrawing all photos by freelance photographer (and Photoshop addict) Adnan Hajj from its database. It also confirms that a second photo taken by him of an Israeli F16 launching attacks on Lebanon was also doctored using Photoshop. From Reuters:

"There is no graver breach of Reuters standards for our photographers than the deliberate manipulation of an image," Szlukovenyi said in a statement.

"Reuters has zero tolerance for any doctoring of pictures and constantly reminds its photographers, both staff and freelance, of this strict and unalterable policy."

The news and information agency announced the decision in an advisory note to its photo service subscribers. The note also said Reuters had tightened editing procedures for photographs from the conflict and apologised for the case...

"Manipulating photographs in this way is entirely unacceptable and contrary to all the principles consistently held by Reuters throughout its long and distinguished history. It undermines not only our reputation but also the good name of all our photographers," Szlukovenyi said.

"This doesn't mean that every one of his 920 photographs in our database was altered. We know that not to be the case from the majority of images we have looked at so far but we need to act swiftly and in a precautionary manner."

Great Reuters. How about removing the editor at the Reuters Global Pictures Desk who was responsible for this mess too?

Previously: The Reuters Lebanon photo controversy