傳媒一向影響力深遠, 一份報章的頭條, 市民馬上上街. 言論自由是好現象, 但過份報道和刊載, 可引起極具威力的後果.自殺的報道可以令自殺數字上升. 人們都說自殺是會傳染的, 不是指它是什麼傳染病, 但確實聽得多, 看得多, 人是會被desensitized(脫敏/麻木)的. 傳媒和暴力 (media and violence) 經常是大學的課題, 無論讀傳播學抑或心理學, 一定會知道固中道理.
大字標題, 自殺者生活照, 輕生背後的各種可能原因, 其家人的悲痛只會更大. 讀者看得多, 是會受影響的. 根據American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (美國自殺預防協會), "suicide contagion is real" (www.afsp.org). 在"Reporting on Suicide: Recommendations for the Media"一文中提及, 於1984至1987年間, 奧地利維也納的報章大幅報道有關人們跳落火車軌自殺的事件. 於是在1987年, 記者警覺到報道所帶來的負面影響, 改變報道方式. 此後六個月, 火車自殺案下跌八成, 而維也納的自殺案例亦減少. 結論是, 讀者的自殺率在以下情況會上升:
1. 有關自殺的新聞報道上升
2. 個別自殺事件被大幅報道或多次出現在新聞中
3. 個別自殺新聞放在報紙頭版或廣播頭條
4. 有關個別自殺新聞的頭條過份"dramatic"(戲劇化/煽情)
另一例子就是, 當年影星瑪麗蓮夢露自殺後, 年輕女子自殺事件馬上上升.
傳媒在教育市民預防自殺上具很重要的角色. 有關自殺的新聞報道可以令讀者知道自殺的原因, 事前的先兆, 自殺率的趨勢及治療方法, 亦可提供防止自殺的機會. 這樣的報道是需要, 但同時亦可帶來禍害.
*Certain ways of describing suicide in the news contribute to what behavioral scientists call "suicide contagion" or "copycat" suicides.
*Research suggests that inadvertently romanticizing suicide or idealizing those who take their own lives by portraying suicide as a heroic or romantic act may encourage others to identify with the victim.
*Exposure to suicide method through media reports can encourage vulnerable individuals to imitate it. Clinicians believe the danger is even greater if there is a detailed description of the method. Research indicates that detailed descriptions or pictures of the location or site of a suicide encourage imitation.
*Presenting suicide as the inexplicable act of an otherwise healthy or high-achieving person may encourage identification with the victim.
(http://www.afsp.org/education/recommendations/5/1.htm)
無論教師自殺與教改有多大關係, 傳媒工作者在報道有關新聞時都應加倍小心. 以下也是可參考的文章: http://www.sprc.org/library/at_a_glance.pdf
3 comments:
Yes. Many things are contagious. We read aloud something fictional for 100 times we may even believe it's true. The Chinese has some very right old sayings: "Hide the evils; Spread the kind-hearted." In the modern and so called free speech society this idea may not be applauded by many. Afterall, we seem to want to know everything down to the very details. And things must be exposed to the public, be it good or bad news. That seems to be the society standard.
Since things are contagious, wouldn't it a better idea to spread more good news than bad news? I think it would. But again, it's sad to admit that we human beings only pay attentions to vanity and superficial stuffs. Good news doesn't raise any eyebrows, and it certainly doesn't sell for money.
To those writers and publishers out there, watch out for what you write, you're for sure shaping the future for our children. Remember, things are contagious.
Johnny the Moron :@)
Yes. Many things are contagious. We read aloud something fictional for 100 times we may even believe it's true. The Chinese has some very right old sayings: "Hide the evils; Spread the kind-hearted." In the modern and so called free speech society this idea may not be applauded by many. Afterall, we seem to want to know everything down to the very details. And things must be exposed to the public, be it good or bad news. That seems to be the society standard.
Since things are contagious, wouldn't it a better idea to spread more good news than bad news? I think it would. But again, it's sad to admit that we human beings only pay attentions to vanity and superficial stuffs. Good news doesn't raise any eyebrows, and it certainly doesn't sell for money.
A humble advice to writers and publishers out there, watch out for what you write, you're for sure shaping the future for our children. Remember, things are contagious.
Johnny the Moron :@)
great, thanks jtm for writing me a comment, but one is enough, no need to send it twice. :P
so any good news from u?
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