2005年5月發生倪姓知名藝人自殺事件,衍生廣泛的新聞報導持續近一個月,其報導數量與篇幅,創新國內外類似事件紀錄。本研究主要目的為分析國內電視新聞報導倪姓藝人自殺事件,係以公共衛生觀點,探討電視新聞報導知名藝人自殺,與當年實際自殺人數以及自殺送醫人數之相關性。以內容分析法分析2005年5月1日至31日,國內四家電視台每日晚間七點到八點電視新聞。 觀察四家電視台2005年5月份每天晚間新聞,共出現442則與倪姓藝人相關內容,平均每天每台播出3.6則報導7分27秒〈447秒〉,為期一整個月。根據本土化自殺新聞報導八不準則〈不登頭條、不重複持續報導、不報導自殺方式與地點、不登聳動照片及遺書、不用SNG現場連線報導、不將自殺光榮化或美化、不簡化自殺原因、不以怪力亂神探討自殺事件〉,各電視台違反比率過高;新聞中提供自殺防治的訊息只佔1.3%〈6則〉;其中違規最多的項目為:1.涉及親死者親人及未成年子女50.6%;2.以電視重點呈現技巧吸引閱聽眾:使用跑馬燈41.2%,置於新聞報導前三條26%;3.自殺者正面與告別式光榮化的描述37.2%;4.簡化死因18.5%。整體而言,無線電視台比有線電視台較能遵守自殺報導準則。內政部消防署全國各縣市自殺送醫人數,2005年5月份〈848人〉比同年3、4月平均人數增加34.9%,為1999年以來同期增加幅度最大;衛生署自殺個案通報資料顯示2005年5月比2004年同期增加97.7%;比較2004年與2005年自殺死亡人數增減率,2005年增加23%,且2005年5月單月自殺死亡人數與2004年比較增加率為39.8%,增加幅度為近五年來最高。 國內電視新聞處理知名藝人自殺事件,議題聳動且缺乏自殺防治訊息,重複持續的報導,恐會觸發更多自殺企圖。本研究以實例探討自殺新聞對國人實際自殺行為的影響,此實證研究對提供國內媒體省思,及形成自殺事件報導規範深具意義。
Min-Jan Ni, famous Taiwanese comedian, committed suicide on May 1, 2005, causing extensive media reports in Taiwan. The derived news expose lasted nearly one month. The huge quantity and capacity of media reports innovated worldwide records, can precipitate similar incidents. To explore content of television news suicide reports, and assess the relation between TV news reporting of comedians’ suicide, attempted suicide and actual suicide in 2005. To analyze relevant TV news content, we sampled four domestic TV channels, collecting daily evening news during May 1-31, 2005. Total of 442 TV news spots were watched, average 3.6 pieces of relative news and occupying 7 minutes 27 seconds (447 seconds) were broadcast daily in whole month. According to native media self-discipline guidelines for suicide reports, 68% of TV news reports violate guidelines, only 1.3% (6 pieces) provide suicide prevention information. Worst offenders were 50.6% shown the privacy of suicide relatives, 41.2% captions, 26% in the first three headline reports and 37.2% glorified reports. Those showing Mr. Ni’s affairs as the main issue totaled 40% (178 pieces) of the whole news broadcast. The number of suicide attempt rate, revealed from the National Fire Agentcy, rose 34.9% in May 2005 compare the average rate in April and March 2005, most remarkable increase since 1999. The suicide rate rose 23% in 2005, and May 2005 saw a 39.8% jump over May 2004, highest single-month increase in the past five years. Media should use more restraint in reporting celebrity suicides, to avoid triggering more suicide attempts.