Reporting on Suicide: An Examination of Suicide Coverage by U.S. Student Newspapers

Abstract

Suicide is an important issue facing students on college campuses. Student journalists face unique challenges covering suicide, including ethical considerations related to headline wording, text descriptions, and sourcing. Health advocates, news outlets, and professional journalism organizations partnered to develop guidelines for responsible suicide reporting. This study sought to understand the extent to which student journalists complied with the recommendations, which were designed to prevent so-called “copycat” deaths. Using content analysis, the study examined how 51 student newspapers covered suicide more than 3 years (2019–2021). It offers recommendations for students and advisors.