Nothing faked is ever good -- especially faked journalism. When New York Newsday published a genuine faux "composite photo" of Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan skating on the same ice before it became reality, they sacrificed the ethics of the entire journalism profession.

By digitally manipulating images of Kerrigan and Harding to show the two women skating on the same Olympic ice hours before they actually skated on that ice, Newsday deceived its readers. Journalists -- those "ink-stained wretches" -- are supposedly in the business of conveying the news -- not creating it. By creating the false image, Newsday helped to destroy the already limited trust the public has for all journalists.

The Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics has set guidelines for photojournalism -- Newsday violated the guidelines with the photo. The code says "Under no circumstances shall documentary photographs be manipulated, changed or altered to any degree, by any method or medium, including electronic manipulation."

Although the code is merely a guideline for newspapers, such a blatant violation shows that Newsday lacks respect for its readers, the public and all involved in the journalism profession.

But this is only one example of manipulating the public. A scary trend has been developing in the communications industry recently. Just a few weeks ago, Cokie Roberts, one of America's trusted television reporters, faked a live report during a broadcast. Instead of broadcasting live from the White House, she donned a coat and stood in front of a set in the Washington, D.C., studio.

And who can forget the incident that destroyed the credibility of "Dateline NBC" last year when the program rigged a truck as part of an investigation so it would explode during a taping. Such incidents destroy not only the credibility of those involved, but also the public's trust in journalism as a whole.

Technology is becoming more accessible, and as it does, photo manipulation becomes easier. And it is not limited to supermarket tabloids such as the National Enquirer and The Weekly World News. Respected publications such as National Geographic, Time and The New York Times have manipulated photos to some degree in the past.

Manipulating the news is dangerous trend that must be stopped. A true photojournalist should know how to fill the frame with significant matter -- not facsimiles of the original.