Suicide Reporting in Print Media: an Evaluation of the Effect of Guidelines Issued to Editors and Journalists

The effect of issuing guidelines for suicide reporting on the actual practice of reporting in Swiss print media was examined. In 1994, after an 8-month study, guidelines were sent to newspaper editors & a second evaluation of suicide reporting was carried out over another 8-month period. More articles on suicide reporting were found but most were not rated as suggestive enough to induce imitation. The quality of reporting had improved, especially in the main Swiss tabloid.