[Crimson Dynamo]

Tabloid journalists are often criticised for the stories they write, even by their industry peers, but to draw a link between credible, factual news reporting and suicide is unfair and unhelpful.

In fact suicide prevention charity Samaritans advises against suggesting that a single incident caused someone to take their own life.

Already journalists are facing online abuse over Flack’s death, with Mirror, Express and Star publisher Reach offering guidance to reporters, including offering to remove links to their Twitter accounts in bylines.

The abuse has prompted Reach group editor-in-chief Lloyd Embley to send a message to staff today defending its online coverage, saying there is “no evidence” it had been “irresponsible”.

“Unfortunately it seems that in the current climate some people are desperate to blame the mainstream media for everything that goes wrong,” he added.

A common mistake among non-journalists is to assume intention in a story. Often it is the simple reporting of interesting facts delivered “without fear or favour”, as the industry refrain goes.

The allegations against Flack were being pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service and details had already emerged in a court hearing ahead of a trial next month.

For a national newspaper not to report this would have been strange indeed

https://pressgazette.co.uk/journalis...loid-coverage/