Georgie Purcell image controversy: Australian news network apologizes after allegedly altering female MP's picture in promo

Georgie Purcell recently received an apology from Australian news network Nine News. This comes after the channel was criticized for using an allegedly edited picture of her in a news bulletin on January 29, 2024. The photo used by the channel, which is reportedly different from the original, exposed her midriff and altered her body.

According to ABC News, the Director of Nine News Hugh Nailon shared a statement, stating that the company's graphics department "sourced an online image" of Purcell for a story on duck hunting.

"As is common practice, the image was resized to fit our specs. During that process, the automation by Photoshop created an image that was not consistent with the original. This did not meet the high editorial standards we have and for that we apologize to Ms Purcell unreservedly," he said.

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Georgie Purcell criticized Nine News after they used the picture

Georgie Purcell's tweet (Image via Twitter/@georgievpurcell)

Purcell appeared on Nine News on January 29 to share her thoughts about the duck hunting ban. However, the channel reportedly used an edited picture of her, also featuring politician Jacinta Allan, for their bulletin, which received a lot of backlash. While speaking to Guardian Australia, Purcell shed light on the incident and said:

"Unfortunately, the difference for women is that they also have to deal with the constant s*xualisation and objectification that comes with having images leaked, distorted and AI generated."

Georgie Purcell also shared a collage on social media on January 30, comparing the edited photo to the original. She began by stating that she "endured a lot" after the incident and wrote:

"Note the enlarged b*obs and outfit to be made more revealing. Can't imagine this happening to a male MP. What gives?"

While Nine News apologized and said that "automation by Photoshop created an image that was not consistent with the original," Adobe, the firm that produces the software refused this claim and said that editing the image in question would have required "human intervention and approval," as per BBC.

According to The Guardian, Photoshop tutor David Ewing stated that the software could have edited the picture only if a human instructed it to do so.

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Georgie Purcell's response to the apology

Purcell's Instagram post (Image via Instagram/@georgie.purcell.ajp)

Georgie Purcell shared an Instagram post on January 30, 2024, and included her statements. She mentioned that it was not easy for her to see her edited picture on TV and said:

"When you’ve struggled with negative body image your entire life, it’s confronting seeing yourself edited on tv after the worst day at work you’ve ever had. But this isn’t just about me, it’s about how we treat women more broadly."

She continued by stating that she had accepted the company's apology and wrote:

"And while I’m not convinced on the reasoning, I’ve accepted Nine’s apology, and I’ll leave the commentary on AI and photoshop fails up to the experts."

She concluded by hoping that individuals would learn from this incident as she did not want to "deter women and girls from achieving their dreams and contributing to public life" after watching what she endured.