Regarding this story itself, I can't immediately see anything that says that the content of this note itself was forged, only that Photoshop was used to make the words more legible, which is not exactly "doctoring" the photo. "To doctor" an object is defined by the The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition as "To falsify or change in such a way as to make favorable to oneself". Simply making the picture readable does not exactly make its content more favorable to oneself. Neither this article nor any other that I can find says that the actual content of the photo was forged.
I really can't see what the issue is over any portion of this story.
How much changing was done to the photo? Did it make it something that was obscure clearer or did it change what was there? I am very troubled that a major news service would possibly change a photo.
I'll add that, on this thread at least, I have not used the word "doctored." We know that image has been altered, but has it changed the the content of the photo.
I know of no professional photographers who do not adjust their photos before publishing them, especially with a photo that isn't entirely clear but is otherwise a very good photo, like this one.
