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Watchdog offers new guidance for journalists on reporting deaths

ipso-green-320New guidance for journalists on reporting deaths and inquests has been issued by the press watchdog.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation has produced the guidelines for editors, which offers advice on covering inquests and funerals, as well as other advice on covering stories related to deaths.

The guidance warns journalists to take care not to break news of the death of an individual to the immediate members of their family, and also gives guidance on showing due sensitivity.

It also repeats previous advice on not providing excessive detail of the method used when reporting on suicides.

IPSO says the guidance has been released after “considerable discussion” of the reporting of deaths and inquests this year, often in response to breaking news of serious incidents.

Charlotte Urwin, IPSO’s head of standards, said: “Among the most difficult requests from journalists for pre-publication advice that IPSO receives are those relating to the reporting of deaths, and there are specific considerations which editors and journalists must take into account when doing so.

“This guidance provides editors and journalists with a framework for thinking through these questions.

“We hope it will be used by editors and journalists at all our 2,500 online and printed publications to support their work.”

The guidance can be read in full here.

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  • November 27, 2017 at 1:31 pm
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    I can’t even be bothered to read this as, regardless of what it says, it will still treat every half-witted complaint on the basis there is a case to answer, wasting everybody’s time and money.

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