Quote:
Originally posted by Kaz:
All right, first off, no flaming and no flame-baiting. I'm hoping this isn't a touchy subject... 
My question is this: Everything should be covered in media and nothing should be left out, right? Well, aren't there things where it is BETTER that not everyone knows about them?
Example: In Munich, people who suicided often threw themselves in front of subways. Every single one of these occurences was posted in TV and in the newspapers. Shortly after that, the suicide-by-throwing-yourself-in-front-of-subway rate rose drastically. The local media and the police discussed this and decided that from now on, suicides like these would only be a tiny article at the back of the newspaper, if they were published at all. After this step, suicides by throwing yourself in front of subway decreased by half.
I repost my question: Should everything be discussed in the media, or should some things be left out? Opinions please!
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I'm in favour of full coverage, always providing the information published doesn't compromise a current situation. For example, during a trial, publication of certain information or interviewing a witness can actually screw up the trial, and render the process null and void.
But I think if things are happening, that we should know about them. When you start muzzling the press, it's the thin end of the wedge. Before you know it we'll only be told 'what's good for us' and who is to be the judge of that?
If people start copycat suiciding, one can only assume that they would have done it some way, some time anyhow - the newspaper or tv program just gave the person the idea for the method. What about films? Should we not show things that might give people ideas for killing both themselves and others? (Actually, I'd be more in favour of this than suppressing the truth about what is going on in the world. Not that we get all the truth anyway, it's always an edited and biased view, of course....)
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Most Ecstatic and Exotic Mistress of the Illuminati Not to Mention Sensuality Incarnate