CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The umbrella media organization in this city has cited the importance of sensitivity in reporting suicides and mental health cases, following criticisms from a local university on the quality of media coverage on both issues.
In a statement Tuesday, Dr. Manuel Jaudian, president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC), said the group shares the observation of the Psychology Department of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan (XU) that some local media personalities violate the privacy of suicide victims and persons with mental disabilities by disclosing personal information.
"In view of recent social media posts of local news reports about self-harm behaviors and suicide, the Xavier Ateneo Department of Psychology strongly condemns the dissemination of personal information about these sensitive and extremely stigmatized issues, as well as the dissemination of information that invades the privacy of the persons and families affected," the department said in a statement Monday.
Jaudian agreed, calling on members of the press--especially radio broadcasters--to be sensitive in sensitive matters such as mental issues, particularly suicide-related deaths.
"Let us not add more pains to the family by coming out with a 'blow by blow' verbal descriptive reports that appear to be sensationalizing the incident. Our coverage will lose its relevance when we join the circus of mediocre people now mushrooming on social media," Jaudian said.
Jaudian said that "covering incidents like suicides is a legitimate news copy and part of our social contract with the public to provide news of interests and import."
However, he said he agrees with the "observation that naming names or revealing identities of persons afflicted with mental issues are not in accord with sensitivities."
Jaudian said the media should be sensitive "on news that invades the core of our humanity, and in the matters related to suicides, media professionals are advised to refrain from revealing names to give dignity to the person who has suffered most..."
The XU psychology department issued the statement after one of its students recently died of suicide, generating a torrent of radio reports that many viewed as heavily laced with sensationalism and invasion of privacy.
While it acknowledged the important role of mass media as "heralds of truth," the department warned that overexposure to news reports about suicide can result in a "suicide contagion."
The department cited the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for media professionals in covering mental health and suicide, which said that young individuals and persons diagnosed with mental health problems as vulnerable to these reports.
It said there was no "need and purpose" for the public to know details such as the name of the person and their specific address.
"Likewise, being personal information, such exposure without due regard to the sensitivity of the issue potentially violates the privacy rights of the family," the department said. (PNA)
