From "Media Watch", ABC TV, Australia, August 2, 1999
Transcripts 2/8/99
The media seems to have problems living up to all the standards on
highly sensitive issues. Take for instance, the codes and guidelines
which revolve around the reporting of suicide. There was a tragic
case in Western Australia in early July.
Policewoman: "Unfortunately this is a very tragic loss. We have
one adult female and five small children. They have been
confirmed to be deceased."
(ABC News, 04/07/99)
Richard Ackland: The reporting of this murder-suicide came two weeks
after new guidelines had been launched, by the federal health
minister. Dr Woolridge said:
"While the media has generally shown a sensitive and responsible
approach to suicide, in an attempt to minimise copy cat
attempts, improvements can still be made."
(Press Release 22/6/99)
Richard Ackland: The guidelines and information kit were the result
of extensive talks between health professionals and the media
industry, and they add to codes some organisations already have in
place. The recommended practice isn't binding, and it has four main
elements...
"Location: ...
"Locate the report or story inside the newspaper and not on the
front page, or as a headline on television or radio news."
(Dept of Health. Media Resource. p4)
Richard Ackland: When the Western Australian tragedy was reported in
early July, no one thought very highly of that editorial
recommendation.
"Gas Horror" (Sunday Times, 4/7/99)
"Suicide note tells of mum's despair" (The Australian, 5/7/99)
"6 young lives wasted, why?" (The Age, 5/7/99)
"A mother's cry for help, too late" (5/7/99 West Australian)
"A woman and her 5 children found dead in the family car."
(Channel Seven, 4/7/99)
"Tonight, family tragedy, a mother and 5 children die in a
forest murder suicide.' (Channel Ten, 4/7/99)
Richard Ackland: That headline from Channel Ten also broke the
second recommended practice which is to:
"Avoid using the word 'suicide' in the headline."
(Dept of Health media Resource; Suicide, p4)
Richard Ackland: It went down a treat as well.
"Suicide note tells of mum's despair" (The Australian, 5/7/99)
"Suicide mum kills five kids" (Sun-Herald, 4/7/99)
'Mum's suicide note a cry for help" (Mercury, p7 57/99)
'Suicide letter found too late" (Herald-Sun P5, 5/7/99)
Richard Ackland: The third principle concerned the use of
photographs.
"Avoid using photographs with suicide stories."
"Photographs should not feature the suicide scene, (or) precise
location ..."
(Dept of Health, Media Resource - Suicide)
Richard Ackland: As you can see every effort was made to achieve
maximum restraint in that respect. Channel Ten even had a map:
"The bodies were found at Karragullen 50 KM from Perth, gassed
inside the family car ....
"Police believe the 25 year old Carlisle woman drove the family
van to state forest at Karragullen before midday. 4 hours later
all were found dead in the car."
(Channel Ten 4/7/99)
"a trail bike rider discovered the mini van in remote bushland
in Perth's South Eastern outskirts late yesterday afternoon....
"In the van a boy who would have turned 8 today, 5 year-old twin
boys, and 2 girls aged 4 and 2..."
(Channel Seven 4/7/99)
Richard Ackland: The other significant recommendation was...
"Method of self-harm: ...
"Refrain from detailed discussion of the method used for suicide
and attempted suicide."
(Dept of Health, media Resource Suicide, p4)
Richard Ackland: That was like a red rag to a rhinoceros...
The West Australian, The Sunday Times, The Sun-Herald, and The
Australian all detailed the means by which they died.
Your ABC broke its own code to report the detail:
"Police found a plastic tube connected from the exhaust into the
van."
(ABC News, 04/07/99)
Richard Ackland: And so did Channel Nine:
Deborah Cornwall: "Police say a plastic tube had been used to
feed exhaust fumes through a window, asphyxiating the 25 year
old mother, the two boys and the three girls."
(Channel Nine News, 4/7/99)
Richard Ackland: And on and on it went. It was news, and it was
reported luridly. Sensationalism is the very thing the guidelines
were established to avoid, because the risk of copy-cat incidents is
very high.
Australian research on newspapers confirms overseas studies:
"Suicides increase immediately after a suicide story has been
published in the media."
(Effects of Newspaper Stories on the Incidence of Suicide in
Australia: A Research Note)
Richard Ackland: It can impact on the vulnerable.
There is indeed an interesting pattern to the recent
murder-suicides. Last October outside Perth, a case had been
reported:
"The car was spotted from the air late yesterday 130KM north of
Perth. Inside, police found the bodies of 32 year old Ronald
Jonker and his 3 children: stepson 7 year old David, son 5 year
old Aaron, and a daughter, 17 month old Ashley. There was a hose
connected to the exhaust pipe which was put inside the vehicle."
(ABC News, 23/10/98)
Richard Ackland: Did this incident affect the mother who died with
her children in early July? The research suggests the possibility
that this sort of reporting can be a trigger.
Then three weeks later, also in Western Australia:
"How could he?...
"Dad kills kids in 'copycat' tragedy"
(The Sunday Mail (Qld), 25/07/99, p1)
"Dad, four kids gassed in car" (Sunday Telegraph, 25/07/99)
"Murder-suicide man faced charges" (The Australian 26/07/99)
"The father who loved his children to death" (SMH 26/07/99)
"Not Again" (The Sun-Herald, 25/06/99)
Richard Ackland: There was exposure across the spectrum.
Newsreader: "Police say the man who died along with his children
in yesterday's family murder-suicide had a violent past.
(Channel Seven, News, 25/07/99)
Richard Ackland: Reporting these tragedies requires heightened
sensitivity. Fascinatingly, commercial TV already has a code of
practice on this very topic.
"4.3.9: ...
"The report must be straightforward, and must not include
graphic details or images, or glamorise suicide in any way;"
(FACTS. Commercial TV Code of Practice)
Richard Ackland: The ABC has one too:
"If reported at all, suicides will be reported in moderate terms
and will usually avoid details of method."
(ABC Codes of Practice: News, Current Affairs and Information
Programs)
Richard Ackland: For years, the Press Council has resisted issuing
standards.
"The Press Council can see no useful purpose in drawing up
'rules'. the council prefers to rely on the continuing
responsible attitude of the press to the problem"
(Press Release, November 1994)
Richard Ackland: But last year it begrudgingly issued some loose
guidelines. The issue is not that the media shouldn't report these
stories, it's more that they shouldn't be milked for every possible
drop of emotion.
© 1999 Australian Broadcasting Corporation