- Title
- Media reporting of the suicide phenomenon in Taiwan: a content analysis
- Creator
- Chen, Fang Chin; Jackson, Paul; Kippen, Sandra; James, Erica
- Relation
- Environmental Health Vol. 9, Issue 1-2, p. 44-59
- Relation
- http://journal.eh.org.au/abstract.php?display=281
- Publisher
- Australian Institute of Environmental Health
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2009
- Description
- Abstract: Suicide mortality has become the tenth most common cause of death in many countries, especially in developing countries such as Taiwan. There are a number of cultural influences on suicide behaviour which vary significantly across countries, but a common consideration is the linking of the way suicide is reported in the media with subsequent suicide attempts, although the regulations and policy regarding media reporting vary markedly. This paper looks at observations of media reporting of suicide and parasuicide in Taiwan by analysing 131 reports of suicide or parasuicide published in the China Times newspaper over a 12-month period. It discusses the findings in relation to guidelines for media reporting of suicide and compares them with the way suicide tends to be reported in countries which are much more circumspect in their presentation of this issue. Newspaper reporting of suicide behaviour may not reflect the actual occurrence. Some types of suicide, including celebrity suicide, murdersuicide, suicide for special reasons, suicide using particular methods and successful suicides in socially unacceptable circumstances seem more likely to gain publicity. This paper argues that whilst some aspects of the detail of reporting should be curtailed in order to prevent copycat suicides, and to moderate cultural perspectives of suicide, other aspects can bring to light injustices and inequities which are culturally embedded in societies and are a primary influence on the suicide rates. The very limited reporting of suicide found mainly in Western countries is often compared favourably with the more extensive reporting in places like Taiwan, as shown in this paper. However, it may be that more balanced reporting on both sides would assist in reducing worldwide suicide statistics.
- Subject
- suicide; parasuicide; media; content analysis
- Identifier
- uon:7314
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/807146
- Identifier
- ISSN:1444-5212
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