Media guidelines
Samaritans Media Guidelines are aimed at those
reporting suicide in any media from factual description to dramatic
portrayal. They briefly outline suicide facts, media myths, signs
of suicide risk and offer recommended phrases to use when talking
about suicide.
Download the 2006 Media
Guidelines for Ireland (1.5MB PDF document)
Download the 2005 UK Media
Guidelines for reporting suicide (1.5MB PDF
document)
How the media can help
A fine line remains between sensitive,
intelligent reporting by the media and sensationalising the issue.
The focus should be on educating and informing the public. Copycat
suicides account for about six percent of all suicides and the
imitative behaviour can folow certain types of news reports and
other portrayals of suicide.
Perhaps the most important guiding principle
is to consider the reader, listener or viewer who might be in
crisis when they read, hear or see the piece. Will this piece make
it more likely that they will attempt suicide, or more likely that
they will seek help?
The Media Guidelines have suggestions for both
journalists and writers, photographers and directors, working in
television, radio, theatre, film and electronic media. They are not
exhaustive and do not seek to dictate, because each situation is
different. They aim simply to offer support in deciding how to
approach what is ultimately one of the most difficult things to
write or speak about.