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EOC releases guidelines for media reporting on mental health issues
On 7 June 2024, the EOC held a press conference to announce the release of the Media Guidelines for Reporting on Mental Health Issues. Developed by the EOC in collaboration with individual members of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health (ACMH) and a representative from the Hong Kong Press Council, the Guidelines serve as a reference for media practitioners, encouraging them to uphold the principles of fairness and objectivity when reporting issues or incidents related to mental health. The Guidelines call on the media to cover mental health related topics by adhering to the following five principles:
- Ensure accuracy;
- Minimise harm;
- Protect privacy;
- Use proper language and images; and
- Help and support.
Ms Linda LAM Mei-sau, Chairperson of the EOC, said, “We hope to leverage the media’s influence to deepen the public’s understanding of mental health issues and develop the right concept, so that we can reduce the stereotyping of people with mental health needs and those in recovery, and foster greater understanding and inclusion in society.”
Dr Ferrick CHU Chung-man, Executive Director (Operations) of the EOC, who is also a Member of ACMH, said, “We hope that media practitioners, when covering mental health issues or incidents, can refer to the Guidelines and strive for accurate, truthful, objective, and comprehensive reporting. Conjectures, assumptions or broad generalisations about the conditions of people with mental health needs and the causes of the incidents should be avoided.”
At the press conference, Professor Raymond LI, Member of the Executive Committee of Hong Kong Press Council and Head, Department of Journalism of the Hong Kong Baptist University, provided practical suggestions and future directions for promoting positive media reporting. Mr Terry WONG Chung-po, ACMH Member, and Ms YUEN Shuk-yan, former ACMH Member, highlighted the importance of positive media reporting for the social integration of people in recovery from a rehabilitation perspective. ACMH Member Ms Lily CHAN and Ms Vicky LEUNG Pui-ki also shared their views on media reporting from the perspectives of caregivers and individuals in mental health recovery respectively.
