Free media forum on responsible reporting of Royal Commission to be held in Sydney
A free media forum aimed at encouraging informed, accurate and ethical reporting on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse will be held in Sydney on Friday.
The announcement:
A free media-only forum will be held in Sydney this Friday, August 30, with the aim of encouraging informed, accurate and ethical reporting on the Commission by bringing together victims/survivors, mental health and legal experts, Commissioners and experienced journalists.
The sessions will be made up of expert talks and journalist workshops, and speakers will include The Honourable Justice Peter McClellan AM, Chair of the Royal Commission, Mindframe’s own Marc Bryant, and MP and Victorian Inquiry Commissioner Frank McGuire.
This forum is funded by Dart Centre Asia Pacific and supported by the Mindframe National Media Initiative, the Media Entertainment & Art Alliance, Suzanne Smith and the ABC.
For more information on the event or to register, visit http://dartcenter.org/content/reporting-responsibly-royal-commission-on-institutional-responses-to-sexual-abuse#.UgQsH4asdfw
The Mindframe National Media Initiative (Mindframe) reminds media reporting on the Royal Commission that adding help-seeking information to stories (online, print and broadcast) can provide somewhere for people who may be impacted by the coverage to find professional support. A list of 24-hour crisis lines can be found HERE.
With the story obviously in the public interest and likely to continue to be covered by the media, it’s important the media continue to report responsibly given that repeated and sustained coverage can increase the risk to those that are vulnerable or distressed.
Your own media industry codes and standards on the issue of reporting suicide can be found HERE and Mindframe also has a web page with story sources and contacts.
Meanwhile, further advice on media reporting of suicide and/or mental illness is available from:
The Mindframe project team Tel: 02 4924 6904 (0427 227 503) Email: mindframe@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
The SANE Media Centre Tel: 03 9682 5933 Mob: 0414 427 291 Email: media@sane.org
Source: Hunter Institute of Mental Health
