Media coverage of the Reyes Suicide: Breaking all the rules
Apportioning blame
“Since there are many complicated reasons for suicides, journalists should avoid simplicity and blaming any party for a particular case.” (“Guidelines on Coverage of Suicides”, Hong Kong Journalists Association)
Reports on who’s to blame are hardly of value, being merely speculative. But the media immediately ran stories on the reactions of the senators, particularly Jinggoy Estrada and Antonio Trillanes IV, who had grilled Reyes during the congressional hearings. The press also went after the statements of whistleblower Rabusa.
Coping with grief in public
News organizations should respect the privacy of the family members as they grieve. But the papers and TV news nevertheless published photos and ran video footage of the place where Reyes died, the hospital where he was taken, crying relatives and friends, and the wake.
Unfortunately, the press largely ignored established guidelines on interviewing relatives and friends (“Suicide and the Media: Recommendations on Suicide Reporting for Media Professionals”, The University of Hong Kong):
- “The surviving relatives and friends usually cannot accept the fact right after the incident. Therefore the media should be considerate and must avoid disturbing them;
- “The grieving survivors may have emotional fluctuation or even have suicidal thoughts. Media professionals should refer the case to social workers, psychiatrists or healthcare professionals; and
- “The journalists should bear in mind that the accounts based on the initial reaction of surviving relatives and friends are often unreliable.”
Let’s not forget
Dramatizing Reyes’ death does not help readers and viewers understand the complexities of suicide. Rather, this kind of reporting has the potential to do more harm. News organizations should promote suicide prevention through sensitive coverage of incidents such as this.
Reyes made a choice to end his life. But, finding the truth behind the allegedly systemic and sytematic corruption in the AFP and the government as a whole should not die with him. If in fact what they say is true, that Reyes was indeed innocent, it would be wise for the family to cooperate with the authorities. The public and especially the press should not forget that they supposedly got millions as well.
Guidelines on Coverage of Suicides by cmfrphilippines
See related post on Eye on Ethics, “Reminders to the Press: Reporting on Suicide”
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