දිවි තොර කරගැනීම් සහ මාධ්‍ය ආචාර ධර්ම

Abstract

In the month of June 2022, the following media ethics violations took place in relation to suicide reporting. Articles published in Sinhala newspapers Divaina and Dinamina reported suicides without any helplines while describing the method of suicide. Articles published in Aruna reported suicide while describing the method of suicide with no helplines. Articles published in Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima as well as the English newspaper Sunday Observer reported suicide while giving it prominence, calling it ‘commits suicide’, described the method of suicide and did not include any helplines. An article published on The Morning had successfully reported on suicide by publishing helplines, and by calling it ‘death by suicide’ as opposed to ‘committed suicide’. The tv programme Derana Aruna and the newspaper Aruna reported on a suicide with prominence, calling it ‘commits suicide’, described the method of suicide and did not include any helplines. Several tv channels such as Derana, ITN, Swarnawahini, Hiru and the newspapers Aruna, Dinamina, Lankadeepa, Mawbima, Ada and Daily News reported on a suicide without including helplines. However, the newspapers Ceylon Today, Daily Mirror and The Morning had reported the same incident with helplines. The Ada Derana website and Derana tv channel reported a suicide without any helplines. The Sinhala newspaper Silumina reported a suicide by publishing a photo of the place of the attempted suicide, blamed the person who tried to commit suicide and had no helplines. The tv channels Swarnawahini and ITN broadcasted an attempt to commit suicide where they clearly showed the method, sensitive content without censoring and did not carry any helplines. Lankadeepa, Silumina and Mawbima reported on an attempted suicide without carrying any helplines.