Review article
https://doi.org/10.21857/yvjrdclo4y
The Frequency and Types of Journalist Stories Covering the Topic of Suicide on the Example of the Bjelovarski list Newspaper (in the Period 2009–2015)
Iva Rosanda Žigo
orcid.org/0000-0002-1149-091X
; University North, Department of Media and Communication, University Center Koprivnica, Koprivnica, Croatia
Marija Brajković
Abstract
The paper presents the frequency and the types of media presentation of stories covering the topic of suicide. The word suicide may not be understood separate from either the medical term or the wider social and cultural context. The study has adopted a general point of view, according to which writing about the topic of suicide, provided the editorial staff respects the rules and the ethical code, can be of great assistance. The results of the analysis of the texts covering the topic of suicidal events, which had been published in the weekly newspaper Bjelovarski list in the period 2009–2015, are shown. Our aim is to illustrate to which extent the published texts tend to be of tabloid, sensationalist nature characteristic of the today’s journalism; to show whether journalists respect the guidelines and instructions issued by World Health Organization to the media in the context of tackling this phenomenon; and to indicate to the need of applying a critical approach when writing for the media and the need to raise the level of media literacy of both journalists and readers.
Keywords
Bjelovarski list newspaper; newspaper texts on suicide; media literacy; suicide; sensationalism
Hrčak ID:
269806
URI
Publication date:
20.12.2021.
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