Recently in Controversy Category

Overworked Intern Sues Hearst

The way we use interns may soon change pending the outcome of an upcoming lawsuit. Xuedan Wang, who interned last Fall at Harper's Bazaar, is suing Hearst for "violating federal and state wage and hour laws by not paying her even though she often worked there full time."

Jon Stewart on Michele Bachmann Newsweek cover

Jon Stewart dove into this week's controversial Newsweek cover, blasting the magazine for its cover photo. We've seen this story before with their Sarah Palin covers (see also: The Closeup Cover, The Flag Cover)--not to mention the recent stir surrounding their Diana cover. … MORE

Newsweek's 'Diana at 50' Cover Stirs Up Controversy...

...and isn't that what they hired Tina Brown for? The cover for this week's double issue features a photoshopped picture of Princess Diana, aged to imagine what she would have looked like, were she alive, at her upcoming 50th birthday, next to her daughter-in-law, Catherine Middleton. Photoshopping a cover isn't new to Newsweek, and a newsweekly, making news, sounds like a good plan, but this might not be the response they hoped for. The Atlantic Wire asks, "How creepy is Princess Diana's ghost on the cover of Newsweek?" and Fishbowl NY echoes the "creepy" tag, while New York Magazine's The Cut wonders if "reverse retouching" is about to become a thing. CJR thinks there must be a gas leak at the Newsweek office. The Los Angeles Times asks, "Shocking, brilliant or just plain cheap?"

What do YOU think?

Above: Newsweek, July 4 & 11, 2011; Creative Director, Dirk Barnett, Director of Photography, Scott Hall, Photography, R. Mutt Studios (Michael Elins)

Roger Black on Ready-Media

The post earlier this week on the SPD site about the new Ready-Media project started by Roger Black, Sam and David Berlow, Robb Rice, and Eduardo Danilo, was the most controversial item we've ever published. It attracted passionate and articulate comments, both pro and con, from a huge cross-section of publication designers and art directors. The arc of the comments seemed to go through the classic five steps of grieving, although they skipped the first one, denial, and went straight to number two, anger, followed by bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance.… MORE

No Makeup, No Retouching? No, Really?

No disrespect to J. Simps, but who does Marie Claire think their fooling with their "No makeup, No retouching" headline.… MORE

Overzealous with Photoshop?

Did Vogue get a little carried away with Photoshop with their Tina Fey cover? Check out the full story from the Daily News.… MORE

Creatives Under Siege!

The LA TIMES published this article last week painting a bleak outlook for Creatives in general.

Take a look at the artwork they utilize, an April 2009 cover of TIME magazine in which they report the main image of a mason jar containing change only cost TIME $30 dollars to license illustrating how high end photographers are getting crowdsourced...… MORE

Designers and Units and Polls, Oh My

There's a war brewing in the SPD community, and it isn't pretty. (Well, actually, it is kinda pretty. Because that's how we roll.) It's between the Picas and the Points, and neither side looks like it's going to concede any time soon. Let's settle the battle once and for all--WITH A POLL. (continue ...)

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Ready For Its Closeup

Can a news magazine retouch its photos? Debate rages on. … MORE

Atlantic Editor Apologizes for Jill Greenberg Images

More fallout today from the Greenberg-gate John McCain photo controversy.

The Atlantic's PR agency released this statement on behalf of editor James Bennet. … MORE