Key stakeholders' recommendations for improving Australian news media reporting of people with severe mental illness, violence and crime

Abstract

Objective: Media portrayals of severe mental illness, including schizophrenia, psychosis and bipolar disorders, are often negative or prominently linked to violence or crime and consequently have a negative influence on public attitudes and behaviours. This study aimed to determine key stakeholders’ recommendations for improving news reporting of severe mental illness in the context of violence and crime. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian key stakeholders including people with lived experience of severe mental illness (n = 12), news media professionals (n = 12) and mental health professionals (n = 8) with expertise in media reporting of mental illness. Data we..