Newsroom Webinar: Reporting on Suicide

Topic:  Reporting on Deaths by Suicide

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 15 | 11 AM CENTRAL

Presenters:  Al Tompkins & Kelly McBride, The Poynter Institute; Dr. Dan Reidenberg, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.

In fact, far more people die of suicide than homicide, yet it gets a fraction of our media coverage.

This workshop will help you find ways to cover this epidemic of preventable deaths by boosting your awareness, knowledge, and skills in covering this vital topic.

In this session, Tompkins and McBride will:

• Explode some myths about suicide.  Do these sound familiar? “It was a total surprise; nobody had any idea this was coming.” Almost always there are signs that a person is considering ending their own life.  “He just snapped.” Suicide almost always has many ingredients. “We can’t talk about suicides because it will cause more of them.” You can cover the story while minimizing the harm that careless coverage may cause.
• Document some of the most vulnerable populations. Young people, seniors, transsexual, gay, lesbian, and bisexual populations are all at a greater suicide risk. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-old Americans.
• Gun violence is a major part of any discussion about suicide. Far more gun deaths are cases of suicide than homicide, yet it is homicide that makes the news every night.
• Currently, 80-90% of people who seek treatment for depression are treated successfully using therapy and/or medication. This discussion will encourage you to talk to your audiences about self-care.

This workshop is focused on reporting about suicide, not ignoring it.  The more confident journalists are in their abilities to responsibly cover difficult topics, the more likely they are to tackle tough issues and raise public awareness.

Note: this webinar will be archived and available one week after the live event:

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Thank you for your membership and contributions to TAB's PEP Program!