title: Detecting Changes in Newspaper Reporting of Suicide after a Statewide Social Marketing Campaign.
abstract: A social marketing campaign was introduced in California in 2012, promoting media adherence to consensus-based guidelines on reporting about suicide. We examine adherence to these guidelines by applying quantitative scores to articles in California and a national control group in two six-month intervals prior to and following campaign implementation. Utilizing a difference-in-difference approach, we found no significant effect of the campaign, though the type of article content was a significant indicator of the overall score. Findings also demonstrated a nation-wide downward trend in the quality of reporting. Qualitative results suggest a need for more flexible guidelines in light of a technologically driven news culture.
authors.affiliation: a RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.affiliation: a RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: Rajeev
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramchand
authors.affiliation: a RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chamberlin
authors.affiliation: a RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Marcellino
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D017408:Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D020452:Journalism / Q000592:standards*; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D040241:Social Marketing; D000092864:Suicide Prevention