Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati
Recently, I posted this complaint to the BBB about The Enquirer’s unethical coverage of suicides on a Sunday front page spread. As a result, I have gathered even more useful leads about where this developing story should go next, and I have decided to provide updates as I navigate this emerging process.
The BBB responded to my complaint with some nice suggestions:
Thank you for notifying the Better Business Bureau of your problem with the above company. Unfortunately, the BBB is unable to assist you with your problem because the issues raised in your complaint are beyond the scope of BBB activity. We only handle complaint based on marketplace issues.
You may wish to contact the Ohio Department of Mental Health regarding your concerns:
Mail
Ohio Department of Mental Health
Columbus, Ohio 43215-3430
Phone
(Toll-free bridge line for consumers and families)
TTY
Email
I’m not sure precisely what the Ohio Department of Mental Health will do, but I’m sending them this message:
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to you about a recent front page Sunday story that ran in my city’s daily newspaper of record, The Cincinnati Enquirer. The story was about suicide. It included descriptions of how area victims have attempted suicide, as well as some specific locations where attempts at suicide were engaged. This is in direct opposition to all journalistic standards I can find, including a statement by the World Health Organization.
As you may be aware, the concern is that such reporting increases the likelihood of copycat suicides, or that it normalizes suicide and makes others more likely to do the deed. Epidemics have been documented in some areas regarding this phenomenon.
Your office was referred to me by the Cincinnati Better Business Bureau, as an organization to contact regarding my concerns and complaints about The Enquirer’s behavior.
Please let me know if I can be of assistance in providing any details, and please let me know if there is anything you can do to address this situation.
Respectfully,
The Dean of Cincinnati
Additionally, a reader suggested I review Gannett’s code of ethics, and report any violation to Phil Currie, Senior VP News, Newspaper Division. Here are some statements from Gannett’s “standards”:
We will observe common standards of decency.
We will take responsibility for our decisions and consider the possible consequences of our actions.
So, here is my letter to Phil Currie:
Dear Mr. Currie,
As you know, Gannett has published some ethical standards by which your papers are supposed to operate. I am specifically interested in the promise to observe common standards of decency, as well as the promise to take repsonsibility for decisions, considering the possible consequences of actions.
Recently, a Gannett owned paper, The Cincinnati Enquirer, published a front page Sunday story about suicide. The story described methods used, locations, etc. As I am sure you are aware, suicide is a subject to be handled delicately by media to avoid copycat suicides and epidemics. Many organizations, including the World Health Organization, urge media not to sensationalize these very details. The Enquirer, however, made them front page Sunday news.
What can you do to address these concerns for the public safety of at-risk lives in Cincinnati?
Respectfully,
The Dean of Cincinnati
I’ll keep you updated with more as I have time and it becomes available.
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