Are newspapers not allowed to report suicides or do they just choose not to???!!!?

Question

I need to know for school if newspapers are not allowed to publish articles on suicides of everyday people (not celebrities) or if they just choose not to in most cases. Why?

Answer 1

a lot of info on suicides doesnt make it to the press...

i know a few folk who work on the rail roads and they say that suicides happen very often but they have to keep quiet about it...not even the train passengers are told if it can be avoided.

Answer 2

The newspaper I work for does not report on suicides. They could if they wanted to but they choose not to glorify it for fear of copy cat suicides.

Answer 3

Suicides become news, in our opinion, when they seriously disrupt the lives of others or if the suicide involves a major public figure. Any type of murder-suicide is always covered, but if no one else is killed or injured, we are much less likely to report the story. That is generally the policy at most mainstream media.

In some cases, the evidence of suicide is inconclusive: Was it an accidental drug overdose or intended? Was the fall accidental or not? Usually the police and medical examiner are reluctant to make such a conclusion quickly if evidence is lacking. Sometimes the medical examiner's verdict will come days after the incident. We weigh each case individually.

Answer 4

You do not mention what nation you are posing the question from.

In the U.S., there is the First Amendment to the Constitution, and no shackles placed on newspapers.  Police departments are usually the source of information about suicides.  

U.S. journalists do not speculate on cause of death.  Their role is to report facts.  Take a bridge or building as an example.  Did the person slip, did they jump, were they pushed, did they faint or have a seizure, or did their glasses fall off?

An American newspaper would never mention suicide unless this was reported in a public document (like a death certificate) or came in a statement from a credible source (like investigating police or a hospital report) and the source would be cited.

Hope this answer helps you.

Answer 5

I think suicide is more of a personal matter and thus is not published. Sometimes in some dramatic cases that can affect other people then they may be made public.

Answer 6

I know that near where I live (in Australia) someone committed suicide by stepping in front of a train and no one was allowed to publish a story about it. However I'm not sure if there's a blanket rule or not.

Answer 7

Newspapers in the United States are allowed to print anything--there are no legal restrictions. However, most newspapers (if not all) practice certain ethical guidelines. How to report on a suicide is one such guideline.

If the death occurred in a private location (such as someone's house) and the person in not considered a public figure, then the death is considered a private matter, not considered newsworthy, and it not usually written about.

Deaths of public figures (politician, celebrity, etc.) or deaths that occur in a public location (jump off a building, shooting in a park, etc) would be considered newsworthy.

And even when it is reported, there are many considerations regarding how to respectfully talk about the death, the circumstances, and any other relevant information in a sensitive way that minimizes harm.