Media Coverage and Effects of Celebrity Suicide

July 25, 2018

The death of a celebrity by suicide can have rippling consequences through society. Because it often has a contagious effect, there are guidelines for how the media should report on and cover these deaths, which include suggestions that persons in crisis reach out for support.

In this Call with the Experts podcast, Rajeev Ramchand, Sarah MacCarthy, and Michele Abbott discuss how well these media guidelines are working and whether our crisis system is equipped to effectively respond to surges in help-seeking. They also consider the need for more research on prevention at a time when suicide rates in the U.S. are increasing. RAND's media relations director Jeffrey Hiday moderates the call.

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