As consumers of media, it is our responsibility to hold the media accountable for the messages they produce.
In addition, producers are responsible for managing perception by showing awareness about the relative impact of their content. Now more than ever, the social awareness periscope should be raised and leveled at the media (and today in particular, news media).
Bridgend (South Wales), has been in focus for nearly a year for the news media — and more recently due to the latest suicide by one of the town’s youth, (the number of suicides in Bridgend for the past 12 to 13 months is now 17). These tragic deaths were believed to be linked to an internet suicide cult, possibly through exposure to social media sites such as Bebo, but, Welsh police are now ruling out an internet death pact.
The town of Bridgend has suffered an epic loss of life in a relatively short amount of time, and (understandably), many want to know who is responsible.
Parents and police have blamed the media, leveling charges that continued news media coverage of the suicides has sensationalized death — leaving many to inquire should the media stop reporting the suicides?
There is no question that news media coverage of incidents (like suicide) can have a significant impact on those who consume it. In fact, the University of Oxford Centre for Suicide Research (CSR), as mentioned in the previous link, published a 12-page report on Suicide and the Media: Pitfalls and Prevention, following a seminar organized by the Reuters Foundation. The document itself provides evidence of increased suicide after news media reports as well as fictional suicides (film and television).
In addition to the media guidelines proposed by the CSR, consumers should arm themselves through a continued practice of media literacy. Given the sensationalist nature of suicide portrayed by the media, it is conceivable that (at least) some of the youths in Bridgend would have been able to challenge the embedded messages through discernment.
Similar to Sir Francis Bacon’s claim that Knowledge is Power, media literacy can be a powerful weapon against suicide. It would be ignorant, however, to assume that it is the only deterrent against the impact of how suicide is portrayed in the media.
There will be times when even the most informed individual will choose to make the ultimate decision and take their own life. Failure (by the media) to follow preventative guidelines encompassing the depiction of suicide is horribly neglectful. In fact, it would be fair to equate this type of omittance with being an accomplice to murder.
Yeah, it seems that the word ‘responsibility’ has been interpreted by the media as ‘that which limits freedom of speech.’
I read recently on the BBC about the recent death threats on the cartoonist who drew the images of Mohammed which agitated Muslims around the world.
How did the paper respond? They RE-PRINTED the offensive cartoons and declared that it was more important that they defend the right to free speech than it was to respect cultural and religious (and deeply divisive) differences.
Is the suppression of offensive speech any better than the freedom of offensive speech?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… argh.
Bryan, true, true. I don’t believe, however, that complete suppression is the most appropriate response (by media governing bodies).
Personally, what I am leaning towards are guidelines that facilitate awareness of the issue, while still considering the impact social implications.
It is not clear that the suicide reports by the media in this case were completely sensationalized (or only so). What is clear, however, is that there is legitimate concern regarding the impact due to the way suicide is sometimes glamorized in the media.
We need the media. Plain and simple. We do, however, need an objective, unbiased, narrative of events that provide insight and education. It is our prerogative to critically analyze any message, as well as the media’s responsibility to maintain social awareness.
Yes, no question that sensationalizations of suicide may be a factor in suicide epidemics. The media has a responsibility to report on the situation and to report on it responsibly.
I have not looked at the reports of these cases, so I can’t grade the media’s performance. My guess is that it could have been better…
Even assuming the worst on the part of the media, I do believe that the media has a duty to report on the situation. At the most surface level, another harmful aspect of discourse on suicide is the lack of it. It is a taboo subject, which makes it more difficult for suicidal people to seek the help they need.
But further: to me 17 suicides in one locale suggests that there is a social problem. If we were talking about other kinds of self-destrucitve behavior of young people in other locales, the news coverage would be all about the responsibility of parents and how the community needs address the problems that everybody knows it has.
I know how painful it is lose a loved one to suicide. A very dear friend of mine took her own life the summer after we both graduated from college. I am not suggesting we blame families suffering these losses. I am suggesting that responsible journalists have a duty to report the events and to investigate the component parts of the situation(s) that may have led to these terrible losses.
The acts of suicide and the media coverage of those acts might only be part of the story.
Ben, you and I can agree that there is likely more to the story than what has been reported — certainly more that what the media has alluded to.
I suspect that as the coverage increased, certain aspects to the story were latched on to more than other details (such as the social problems among the youth of Bredgen).
There have even been reports about the suicides from a social media perspective — i.e. the common thread being that most or all of the suicide deaths actively participated in social media (hence the reference to Bebo).
I didn’t include that portion in my breakdown here, but, it is definitely worth researching as well.
some good points bro.
you should be in touch with Cara Powers at project think different in boston. google that!