Using media reporting guidelines from 9 countries, this paper demonstrates they tend to have similar content but differ in the way they have been developed & implemented. The paper also reviews the evidence from evaluations of media guidelines & concludes it is too limited to determine whether the guidelines have had an impact on the behaviour of media professionals or on completed & attempted suicide rates. Recommendations are made for further evaluative work. It is suggested that the lessons from well-designed evaluations should be shared. (26 refs.)