September 13th Responsible Reporting on Suicide Forum

Responsible Reporting on Suicide: A review of coverage of Junior Seau's death, suicide contagion, and resources for the media

Save the Date:

September 13, 2012, 7:00pm- 8:00pm

San Diego County Office of Education; 6401 Linda Vista Road, San Diego, CA 92111

Background: Every day in San Diego County, someone dies by suicide. High profile suicide events, such as Junior Seau's death, often result in increased news coverage. Research shows that "suicide contagion" can occur when exposure to a suicide or suicidal behavior influences others to attempt suicide. Some characteristics of news coverage may contribute to contagion, while other characteristics can encourage help seeking and educate the public about what to do.

Purpose: The San Diego Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists joins with the San Diego County Suicide Prevention Council to invite you to attend this important forum designed to 1) review media reports of suicide and opportunities to improve coverage, 2) provide resources to the media, including local experts available for interviews, 3) engage media and suicide prevention experts in dialogue about responsible reporting on suicide.

Who Should Attend: Members of print, broadcast, internet, and radio media, including reporters, editors, managers, and producers. We also invite those who may be interviewed by the media on suicide, such as public information officers, first responders, and mental health professionals. Schools of journalism, journal and press clubs are encouraged to attend.

RSVP & Other Info: Please contact Holly Salazar at hsalazar@sdchip.org or 858-609-7966 with questions or to register for this event.

Dinner will be served.