Reporting Suicide: Guidelines for Journalists from Journalists

This 2-page leaflet offers guidance for sensitive reporting of suicide. The MediaWise Trust (formerly the PressWise Trust), in collaboration with the National Union of Journalists - NUJ (UK and Ireland) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), complied these guidelines in consultation with suicide prevention agencies and with the support of Befrienders International. The aim of the guidelines is to help print, broadcast, and online journalists appreciate the risks associated with suicide coverage, and to suggest simple ways of avoiding unnecessary harm.

The resource includes links to various sources of information for reporters, examples from around the world of ways in which suicide coverage has done either harm or good, and tips for sensitive reporting of suicide.

One key message here is that "Not all suicides are newsworthy. When they are, it is less likely that others will attempt to take their own lives if media professionals handle the stories responsibly" by, in sum:

• showing consideration for the feelings of relatives
• avoiding detailed descriptions of suicide methods
• acknowledging the complexities of suicidal behaviour
• providing information about where help and advice can be found
• acknowledging that sudden death creates problems for family and friends.

Click here for the full document in PDF format (English).

Click here for the full document in PDF format (French).

Click here for the full document in PDF format (Spanish).