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Outside responds to Lance Armstrong’s complaint
Outside magazine has responded to Lance Armstrong’s complaint about the cover photo on the latest issue.
“We cop to it right there on the cover — see the line reading, ‘Note: Not Armstrong’s real T-shirt,’” Outside editors said in an item posted at http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=185528, a website dedicated to journalism issues.
“We wanted to create a provocative image and make a bold statement about the fact that, because of Armstrong’s age, many cycling fans are skeptical of his chances in this year’s Tour de France.”
Hmmmm.
In case you missed it, Outside printed a photo of the seven-time Tour de France winner wearing a Tshirt that said “38. BFD.”
Armstrong was actually wearing a plain Tshirt at the photo shoot and was angry when he saw the photoshopped cover.
I still think what the magazine did was wrong.
Why didn’t they just tell Armstrong what they wanted to do? Why not simply ask him to wear a real T-shirt printed with the message?
Maybe they knew he’d decline … for good reason.
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By 38.TdF.
June 22, 2010 10:12 AM | Link to this
I’m with Lance on this one. The magazine folks should have told him their plans and gotten his buy-in. And yea, if he doesn’t want you to do it, don’t do it. He’s pretty opinionated about his image and branding… wouldn’t want to surprise him with something like this.
By mrun
June 22, 2010 2:11 PM | Link to this
I don’t think that adding fine print to a fake image covers the media for creating a false impression. Photoshopping is so sophisticated that a lot of images can be faked very well and the damage of the image will be done before a reader gets to the fine print. That could be a dangerous precedent for a media outlet to set. What if they had added a nose piercing to the image, for example, or breasts or something? At what point are they abusing their photoshopping capabilities to mislead readers about what the subject looks like? I think they are there already.
By alex brinkman
June 22, 2010 2:27 PM | Link to this
If the editors of a magazine know ahead of time that their cover subject will probably nix a cover concept, they should still be free to create that cover. Lance’s image of himself should not dictate the path of the press.
By cancelling my subscription
June 22, 2010 3:24 PM | Link to this
The magazine produced a false image & did little to inform him or the reader that the fake image would be used. Most people will see the cover from a distance without seeing a tiny disclaimer that it’s not his shirt. Tacky tabloid tactics from a pub that shouldn’t stoop.
Maybe they should be free to print fake stuff. Depending on what he signed, Lance is probably free to sue them - or at the very least to refuse them any further access to him. He needs to call his lawyer & check the contract.
By Get legal
June 23, 2010 5:48 AM | Link to this
False image? grow up!
What did the contract for the shoot say? We don’t know and nobody is commenting. If the contract relating to this photo shoot says it’s ok to modify, which it almost certainly does, then it’s ok. If so, case closed and Lance, though I am a huge fan, you are wrong and your complaint lies with your advisors. If not, bad judgment on the part of Outside, but come on… how is anybody harmed. Lighten up everybody; it was supposed to be provocative.