It sounds like the problem isn't image processing, the problem is image processing by the photojournalist, because with Photoshop in hand they can change the meaning of the photo. The best way to avoid that, is to avoid the use of Photoshop.
It’s an age old topic really, what you are doing with the camera is representing what you see, you are cropping a small part of what’s around you, and you can give something completely different meanings by just pointing the camera in a different direction.