Georgie Purcell is a member of the Animal Justice Party for Northern Victoria. Reproduction / Social Networks
Published on January 30, 2024 08:46 | Updated on January 30, 2024 08:46
An Australian television network apologized on Tuesday (30) for changing the photo of a congresswoman who complained that the new version showed her with “enlarged breasts” and a more revealing dress.
Victoria state Upper House member Georgie Purcell posted both versions of the photo, the original and the edited one from 9News Melbourne, part of the Nine Network Australia.
In the edited version that aired Monday night, her white sleeveless dress was transformed into a blouse and skirt, leaving her midriff exposed. A translucent light gray square over part of the photo appears to highlight the deputies' breasts.
“I suffered a lot yesterday. But I didn’t expect a media company to edit my body and clothes,” Purcell wrote on social network X.
“Notice the enlarged breasts and the clothing that makes them more revealing. I can’t imagine this happening to a male deputy,” she continued. The deputy also gave a “hint” debunking the montage by pointing out that her entire stomach was tattooed, contrary to what the edited image shows.
9News Melbourne director Hugh Nailon said the station's graphics department used a photo posted online by the MP for a report on the duck hunt.
“As usual, the image has been resized to fit our channels,” Nailon explained. “The Photoshop automation created an image that did not correspond to the original,” he added, referring to image editing software from the American company Adobe.
“This did not meet our high editorial standards and for this we unreservedly apologize to Purcell,” the channel director added, citing a “graphical error.”
Adobe rejected Nailon's statement. “Any change to this image would require human intervention and approval,” a company spokesman said in a statement.
*With information from AFP
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