Recommendations on Suicide Reporting & Online Information Dissemination for Media Professionals (published July 2015)

Published July 2015
In an effort to support and promote appropriate media coverage on suicide, the CSPR published the “Suicide and the Media: Recommendations on Suicide Reporting for Media Professionals” in 2004. Since then, the Centre has worked closely with the Hong Kong media to collect feedback on the use of this handbook; and this regular working relationship has evolved steadily in the past decade into a solid partnership with the shared mission to promote better societal well-being in Hong Kong. After a decade, the CSRP is releasing a revised and updated version of the handbook. This new version reflects not only the feedback collected through many conversations and focus-groups with media professionals on the 2004 version, but also their suggestions on how media could better support suicide prevention. Additionally, the CSRP has also systematically reviewed media guidelines from other countries on reporting news of suicides including those published online, and has added elements from the review in the handbook as appropriate. The CSRP is confident that this updated version will better meet the needs of media professionals when they encounter news or information involving suicides, and guide them in representing such content appropriately through both traditional and online media.