The Media

Throughout this website it is suggested that people involved in mental health work with the media to support sensitive, accurate and appropriate reporting of suicide and mental illness.

Informing the community about important issues such as suicide and mental illness is an area of common interest between media professionals and those involved in mental health. However, the approach to this task taken by each of these groups is different. As with those involved in mental health, the approach taken by media professionals is influenced by the organisational context in which they work and the resulting expectations and constraints placed upon them.

The Australian media is a complex network of diverse individuals and organisations. In order to most effectively support accurate and appropriate coverage of suicide and mental illness, it is useful to have an understanding of the different sectors of the media and the way they work. This section will be of most use to people with limited or no experience working with the media.