A number of civil groups gathered in Taipei yesterday to announce a set of guidelines regarding media coverage of suicide, which they hoped news outlets would follow.
The proposal said that suicide-related coverage should not appear on the front page or serve as headline news, and that the topic should not be "excessively covered."
The guidelines proposed that precise details about the means of suicide and its location not be disclosed, and that disturbing images should not be shown by the media.
The guidelines also discouraged live coverage of suicide scenes and suggested that media reports describing suicides as "heroic actions" should be restricted.
"The reason for committing suicide should not be simplified or overlooked," said Shih-Fang Wang (
"The guidelines also prohibit superstitious interpretations of suicides," he added, referring to the supernatural phenomena often reported.
According to the civic groups, after the "marathon coverage" of well-known celebrity Ni Min-jan's (
Chang Te-chung (
Suicides are largely related to family and relationship problems, because the lack of support often triggers suicidal notions, said Shieh Ying-hua (
"The media should convey positive images, such as when someone decides not to go through with jumping off a building, and is brought down by firefighters and receiving warmth and care," he added.
Negative images cause a chain reaction in society, triggering imitative behavior and conveying the wrong ideas to the people, said Shieh.
"We welcome public feedback regarding the guidelines," said Lyu Shu-yu (
"Hopefully, those who participate in the education panel on Monday can encourage the media to be more self-disciplined," said Chang Chueh (張玨), Coordinator of the Healthy Life Alliance, referring to the panel which the groups will host on the topic of "Guidelines on Media Self-Discipline When Reporting on Suicide" at Taipei Medical University tomorrow.
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