Citation

Ramadas S, Kuttichira P. Indian J. Psychol. Med. 2020; 42(5): 498-500.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Indian Psychiatric Society, South Zone, Publisher Medknow Publications)

DOI

10.1177/0253717620950660

PMID

33414608

Abstract

Responsible media reporting of suicide is an effective strategy for suicide prevention.1 Media reporting influences the awareness and attitudes of the public about suicide.2 Celebrity suicides are associated with an increase in subsequent suicides as found by studies from different countries and hence needs cautious reporting.3 There is some evidence that the magnitude of contagion depends on the amount, duration, and nature of suicide coverage in the media.4 An Indian study found that following the suicide of a Hollywood celebrity, media coverage of suicides in general increased and tended to be more sensational and prominent.5 Media reporting of suicide by an Indian celebrity has never been examined. How did the media portray the suicide of a Bollywood celebrity in the backdrop of a global mental health disaster consequent to COVID-19 pandemic?

We examined the reports of the suicide of an Indian Bollywood celebrity in leading newspapers, one in English, the Hindu (Kochi edition), which is the second most circulated English language newspaper in India and two leading Malayalam newspapers in Kerala, Malayala Manorama and Mathrubhumi. The reports on the subsequent day of the incident (June 15, 2020) were assessed for concordance with the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) guidelines on media reporting of suicide...

Language: en