Responsible reporting can reduce harm—and create hope.
Our council’s 26 September addendum asks for an implementation framework for suicide reporting that protects dignity, supports prevention and makes pathways to help visible.
From principle to practice.
Following the council’s earlier recommendations on responsible media reporting, this addendum sets out ten requests for ministries, regulators, journalism institutions and newsrooms. The timelines below are proposed targets in the document, not measures already adopted by those bodies.
Official guidance
Issue or circulate a consolidated advisory for responsible suicide reporting, drawing on applicable WHO and Press Council of India guidance.
Newsroom consultation
Bring print, broadcast, digital and regional-language media together with mental-health professionals and people with lived experience to create a practical checklist.
Editorial accountability
Encourage a senior editor or standards committee to oversee implementation, training, corrections and review of high-risk coverage.
Safer presentation
Avoid sensational headlines, method or location detail, intrusive images, repeated prominent coverage and single-cause explanations.
Verified support information
Prepare and maintain accurate national and state-level support resources for use alongside relevant reports.
Recurring training
Equip journalists, editors, students and digital teams with safe language, trauma-informed interviewing and prevention-oriented practice.
Stories of coping and recovery
Develop evidence-based features that show help-seeking and recovery while respecting privacy and avoiding false guarantees.
Clear complaints process
Publish a route for education, correction and review when reporting repeatedly falls short of responsible standards.
Public implementation report
Report annually on advisories, training, participation, complaints, corrections and gaps.
Coordinating contact
Nominate a nodal officer or unit to receive updates and coordinate across the relevant institutions.
Every report can point toward support.
Responsible coverage recognises that suicide is complex. It can avoid harm while showing that coping, treatment, human connection and recovery are possible. Stories of recovery need accuracy, consent and care; no single pathway works for everyone.
This page summarises the council’s 26 September 2026 addendum. It should be read alongside the previously submitted recommendations. Endorsers’ professional affiliations do not imply endorsement by their employing organisations.
WICCI policy recommendations ↗A conversation can be a first step.
In India, Tele-MANAS can be reached at 14416 or 1-800-891-4416. If someone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
WICCI National Psychosocial & Mental Wellness Council · Led by Dr. Aninda Sidhana