a freelancer who filed everything with Reuters, who then licensed work on to others for a profit most certainly implies a 'contract' of some degree. the addition of sending him pool gear, at Reuters expense underlines this. Reuters also clearly chose to acquire work from someone who was without any training and/or experience, bypassing the more experienced and credible professionals.
perhaps my point needs more clarity (and i say this with respect and no hint of sarcasm). this is a very large and serious problem Industry wide and we are beginning to witness direct consequences of the wider 'citizen journalism'. all across the board outlets are relying on the cheapest form of acquiring art, a journalism phrase for visual material to support articles.
serious consequences arise from the Barakat story, not least being a young boys life. we cannot overlook the connection this boy had with the FSA. this direct, familial connection and Al Quaeda ties essentially draws a target on other journalists as the regime will see him as an active participant. Reuters was aware of this connection. depending on where you were working, most journalists entering Syria do it through shared contacts. as a result, many of them, questioning why Reuters would facilitate this, had direct contact with Barakat in the past.
