Media coverage of the Reyes Suicide: Breaking all the rules
Newsworthy, but…
Given that Reyes was a government official implicated in a military fund scandal, and his death happened at the height of the congressional hearings, the incident was without doubt newsworthy. However, the press could have been more restrained in its coverage. The reports were instead sensationalized in many cases and extremely detailed.
On Feb. 8, the top stories of the television news programs were all about Reyes. With the exception of Malaya, the majority of the dailies put the story on the front-page and made it their banner story on Feb. 9. Not only did the media highlight the cause and method of death, more disturbingly, morbid and dramatic photographs, video footage, and interviews (the tools used, blood, venue of the suicide, the wake, crying relatives and friends, etc.) were displayed. An ABS-CBN 2 report even illustrated the suicide method in a graphic presentation (Feb.8, TV Patrol and Bandila).
Journalism ethics discourages this practice because detailed reporting could encourage vulnerable individuals to imitate the behavior—also known as “suicide contagion” or the “copy-cat” effect.
The prominent, repetitive, and continuous news coverage of Reyes’ death was unnecessary, and at worst irresponsible. The press did little to explore the series of events that led to his death and discussions on how situations like this can be avoided were limited. It should be emphasized that “suicide is rarely the result of a single factor or event, but rather results from a complex interaction of many factors and usually involves a history of psycho-social problems, particularly depression. Public officials and the media should explain carefully that the final precipitating event was not the only cause.” (“What to avoid when reporting suicide”, Suicide Sensitive Journalism Handbook)
Glorifying suicide
Many reports willingly or unwillingly portrayed Reyes as a hero. There was a surfeit of reports on community expressions of grief (public eulogies, flying flags at half-mast, military honors, rescheduling of congressional hearings, etc.). Some reports focused on positive characteristics and achievements in life have the tendency to venerate the deceased. This aspect of Reyes’ life should be acknowledged, but balanced by recalling the controversies surrounding his government service.
Without proper context, such reporting may suggest—especially to those at-risk and/or facing similar dilemmas—that killing one’s self is an appropriate or acceptable way to solve personal problems. “Glorifying suicide victims as martyrs and objects of public adulation may suggest to susceptible persons that their society honours suicidal behavior. Instead, the emphasis should be on mourning the person’s death.” (“Preventing Suicide: A Resource for Media Professionals”, World Health Organization)
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