Why no story on Mira Costa student's death?
A reader asked me Tuesday why the Daily Breeze did not cover the March 10 death of a Mira Costa High School student from Redondo Beach. Another local online media outlet did, although the story did not state how the student died.
Obviously, the sudden death of a 17-year-old boy has affected the Mira Costa student body. Principal Julie Ruisinger e-mailed parents about the boy's death and made counselors available to grieving students and faculty. She did not say how he died.
"At the present, we have very limited information," Ruisinger wrote.
Although I have information from police and the coroner's office about what happened, I didn't write a story. The Daily Breeze doesn't have a rigid policy, but our general practice is to not cover suicides that occur privately. This teen took his own life within his own home.
Sometimes we do publish stories about private suicides in the paper. Many years ago, a Torrance teenager killed himself within days of leading his Little League team to a national victory. I covered the story and even went to the funeral. The story unfortunately brought pain to his family.
I've been thinking about this latest death. There's a part of me that thinks I should write a story because of the impact his loss has had on campus. And there's definitely a story behind why someone so young would take such an action.
But so far, we'll stick to the practice of leaving it alone.
Obviously, the sudden death of a 17-year-old boy has affected the Mira Costa student body. Principal Julie Ruisinger e-mailed parents about the boy's death and made counselors available to grieving students and faculty. She did not say how he died.
"At the present, we have very limited information," Ruisinger wrote.
Although I have information from police and the coroner's office about what happened, I didn't write a story. The Daily Breeze doesn't have a rigid policy, but our general practice is to not cover suicides that occur privately. This teen took his own life within his own home.
Sometimes we do publish stories about private suicides in the paper. Many years ago, a Torrance teenager killed himself within days of leading his Little League team to a national victory. I covered the story and even went to the funeral. The story unfortunately brought pain to his family.
I've been thinking about this latest death. There's a part of me that thinks I should write a story because of the impact his loss has had on campus. And there's definitely a story behind why someone so young would take such an action.
But so far, we'll stick to the practice of leaving it alone.
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About the Blogger
Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
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Certainly a difficult topic, and one the media worldwide has struggled with.
The other media outlet you referenced, in not reporting the 'how' of this young person's passing, did the right thing. In my opinion, that report took care to avoid sensationalism and unnecessary detail, and in doing so granted consideration to the impact on this person's family. The report also avoided romanticizing the suicide or suggesting it had been used to "solve" a problem. Many media outlets also take care in their reporting bearing in mind the risk of encouraging others.
Given that suicide is a public health problem with individual and societal implications, reporting one can be of benefit to readers if it is covered in the context of mental illness. Covering a suicide is also an opportunity to provide the public with information and resources that could save lives, particularly if that coverage incorporates the warning signs that present themselves prior to a suicide.
If over-coverage of homicide is of genuine concern for some reporters, why embrace under-coverage of suicide?
Thanks, WestsideJesse
Im sure this is very tempting Larry, and Im sure you get ridiculed for a lot of the subjects you do report on, but being a professional, you are making the right decision. Its a matter best left alone. Kudos, and respect, to you.
WSJ