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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Article
Newspaper Reporting of Suicide Impact on Rate of Suicide in the Contemporary Society in Sri Lanka
Author(s)
Manoj Jinadasa
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DOI:10.17265/2160-6579/2016.05.001
Affiliation(s)
University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
ABSTRACT
Suicide
has been largely investigated by many researchers in a variety of perspectives.
The objective of this study is to
identify the relationship between the rate of suicide in contemporary society and
how it can be affected by the way of suicide reporting at the same time. Qualitative
method is used to analysis the data capturing from observation, interviews and textual
analysis. Special attention has been paid to the news reporting in the suicide in
Sri Lankan newspapers. Sinhala medium newspapers: Lankadeepa, Diwaina, Lakbima, Silumina, Dinamina, Rivira, were used
as the major sample of this study. Time period is located from January 2000 to January
2010. In conclusion, Suicide has been reporting in Sri Lanka
as a heroic and sensational action for the target of maximum selling and the financial
benefit of media institutions. Use of Language in suicide reporting and the placement
of the story in the newspaper have been two major factors that cause to glamorize
the incident. Suicide reporting is highly sensational and rhetorically made by the
ownership of the media and non-ethical consideration of the journalism in Sri Lanka.
Victims and vulnerable are encouraged to get in to suicide and they are generally
encouraged to their action for faith. Suicide should be reported in the newspaper
as a problem of mental health and attention should be drawn to well inform the public
on the issue. Human incidents should not be reported in media for cheap commercial
purposes that indirectly chance to gain much financial profit through the highest
selling and expansion. This study suggest to take necessary action to immediately
make a frame of ethics of media reporting that avoids such unethical reporting in
the practice of suicide reporting in Sri Lanka.
KEYWORDS
suicide reporting, rate of suicide, newspaper, sensational reporting, mental health
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