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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Editor defends 'suicide' picture | Editor defends 'suicide' picture |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The northern editor of the Sunday World has defended his decision to print a graphic photograph of a man hanging from a bridge in Bangor, County Down. | The northern editor of the Sunday World has defended his decision to print a graphic photograph of a man hanging from a bridge in Bangor, County Down. |
| He had apparently taken his own life. Newspaper editor Jim McDowell apologised for any hurt to families who had suffered because of suicide. | He had apparently taken his own life. Newspaper editor Jim McDowell apologised for any hurt to families who had suffered because of suicide. |
| The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) said it had received 70 complaints. | |
| Mr McDowell defended the publication of the picture, in what is one of Ireland biggest selling newspapers. | Mr McDowell defended the publication of the picture, in what is one of Ireland biggest selling newspapers. |
| He said the decision was in the public interest. | He said the decision was in the public interest. |
| "That is what newspapers do," Mr McDowell said. | "That is what newspapers do," Mr McDowell said. |
| "They lift stones and they look underneath the stones and they publish the stories." | "They lift stones and they look underneath the stones and they publish the stories." |
| He added: "I apologise if relatives of deceased people who took their lives are hurt or distressed by this. | He added: "I apologise if relatives of deceased people who took their lives are hurt or distressed by this. |
| 'Voyeurism' | 'Voyeurism' |
| "I took the decision to run this picture because this poor man had been left hanging in public view for such a long time. | "I took the decision to run this picture because this poor man had been left hanging in public view for such a long time. |
| "It wasn't meant to be voyeurism." | "It wasn't meant to be voyeurism." |
| Mr McDowell said the body had been in full public view for three hours. | Mr McDowell said the body had been in full public view for three hours. |
| He added that the picture used by the newspaper meant the dead man was not identifiable. | He added that the picture used by the newspaper meant the dead man was not identifiable. |
| Graphic photographs of the scene were provided to media organisations by a freelance photographer on Saturday. | Graphic photographs of the scene were provided to media organisations by a freelance photographer on Saturday. |
| Malachy Toman from the Public Initiative for the Prevention of Suicide and Self-Harm (PIPS) described the newspaper's decision to print the photographs as "absolutely disgusting". | Malachy Toman from the Public Initiative for the Prevention of Suicide and Self-Harm (PIPS) described the newspaper's decision to print the photographs as "absolutely disgusting". |
| The guidelines for journalists are clear when they are reporting suicide, that care should be taken to avoid excessive detail of the method used. This has been completely disregarded. Malachy Toman | The guidelines for journalists are clear when they are reporting suicide, that care should be taken to avoid excessive detail of the method used. This has been completely disregarded. Malachy Toman |
| "I lost my 21-year-old son in exactly the same circumstances and when I picked up the newspaper, my stomach just churned," he said. | "I lost my 21-year-old son in exactly the same circumstances and when I picked up the newspaper, my stomach just churned," he said. |
| "This young man has a family and friends and I would say they will be feeling a hundred times worse than me when they see this photograph. | "This young man has a family and friends and I would say they will be feeling a hundred times worse than me when they see this photograph. |
| "The guidelines for journalists are clear when they are reporting suicide, that care should be taken to avoid excessive detail of the method used. This has been completely disregarded. | "The guidelines for journalists are clear when they are reporting suicide, that care should be taken to avoid excessive detail of the method used. This has been completely disregarded. |
| "I buy the Sunday World every week. I will never buy it again." | "I buy the Sunday World every week. I will never buy it again." |
| Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd said he would also be contacting the PCC and called on the paper to apologise for its "crass and senseless decision." | Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd said he would also be contacting the PCC and called on the paper to apologise for its "crass and senseless decision." |
| Media analyst and former editor of the Daily Mirror, Roy Greenslade said he believed Mr McDowell was wrong to publish the picture. | Media analyst and former editor of the Daily Mirror, Roy Greenslade said he believed Mr McDowell was wrong to publish the picture. |
| "I think it is a matter of taste and I think that people will feel, on seeing those pictures, immensely upset at their publication." | "I think it is a matter of taste and I think that people will feel, on seeing those pictures, immensely upset at their publication." |
| The police said they had removed the body as soon as it was possible to do so. | The police said they had removed the body as soon as it was possible to do so. |