@article{ref1,
title="Why do we report suicides and how can we facilitate suicide prevention efforts?",
journal="Crisis",
year="2014",
author="Cheng, Qijin and Fu, King-Wa and Caine, Eric and Yip, Paul S. F.",
volume="35",
number="2",
pages="74-81",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The Hong Kong news media report suicide-related events more frequently and sensationally than Western countries. Little is known about Hong Kong media professionals' experiences and thoughts about such reporting. Aims: To understand Hong Kong media professionals' experiences and perceptions of suicide reporting and whether the news media can be better engaged into suicide prevention. METHOD: We conducted three focus groups of journalists from both the Cantonese and English language news media. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methods. RESULTS: We discerned three rationales from participants regarding their intense coverage of suicide-related events: (1) satisfying commercial competitiveness, (2) addressing social problems, and (3) responding to readers' interests. The first rationale was a dominant and vigorous motivating factor, and often influenced suicide reporting among local Cantonese media. Media professionals recommended engagement strategies targeted at frontline journalists, media managers, and general media consumers. CONCLUSION: We see potential to involve news media professionals in Hong Kong as working partners in suicide prevention. To succeed, this effort requires engagement in a proactive, consistent, and sustained fashion.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0227-5910",
doi="10.1027/0227-5910/a000241",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000241"
}