Suicide reporting in the media

RANZCP is committed to supporting people and practitioners dealing with distress caused by suicide and aims to continually provide resources to assist psychiatrists should they need guidance and support dealing with suicide matters.

The decision to rescind was made to prevent duplicating guidance provided by expert organisations on suicide reporting in the media and to avoid providing outdated information and information not directly related to the practice of psychiatry. 

We continue to recognise the importance of responsible reporting of suicide in the media as a key aspect of suicide prevention and have provided jurisdiction-specific resources that we have endorsed, linked below:

• Australia: Reporting suicide and mental ill-health: A Mindframe resource for media professionals, Mindframe.
• Aotearoa New Zealand: Media Guidelines for Reporting on Suicide, Aotearoa New Zealand Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora.

For additional RANZCP resources related to Suicide and Suicide Prevention, please see the following:

• Clinical Practice Guideline: Deliberate self-harm CPG
• Position Statement 101: Suicide prevention – the role of psychiatry
• Professional Practice Guideline: Support after Patient Suicide

For further information, please contact policy@ranzcp.org