Should Suicide Be Reported in the Media? A Critique of Research

Particularly in cases where there is publicity about a death, a person’s “reach from the grave” can have unexpected and wide impact beyond immediate family and friends. A body of literature has been accumulating over many years, concluding that publicity about suicide leads to imitation. is has led health authorities in several countries to issue guidelines for media organizations that warn of this danger and to recommend curtailment of such reports (e.g., Australia, 2004; Sonneck et al., 1994; Michel et al., 2000).