Group to monitor media coverage of suicide

GROUPS representing people affected by mental illness and suicide have banded together to encourage better reporting of the subjects in the print and broadcast media.

A service called Headline — the National Media Monitoring Programme has been set up to scrutinise newspaper, radio and television content and highlight reports it is felt should be drawn to the public’s attention for negative or positive reasons.

Members of the public can sign up to receive online daily bulletins containing the latest reports and will be advised how to go about contacting the relevant media organisation and given template letters to help them make their complaint or comment.