Análisis de Contenido de las Notas Periodísticas sobre Suicidio Publicadas por el Diario ‘‘El Extra’’ en Quito durante el Año 2022

Abstract

Suicide is a growing problem worldwide and Ecuador is not exempt, according to the (Ministry of Public Health, 2023) ''more than 1000 people die each year from selfinflicted wounds and it is estimated that for every registered suicide there are about 20 attempts''. Although it is true that as a social and public health problem it becomes an issue addressed by the media, little interest has been given to the way in which the media treats the information. In this context, it is essential to emphasize the role played by the media in the development of such content, since they are the primary source of information for a large part of the population, both in the production and dissemination of current affairs and public interest content. For this reason, the newspaper Extra was selected for this research due to its marked sensationalist orientation, its wide reach and popularity on a national scale. The sample consisted of 19 articles corresponding to the total number of news items produced during 2022 on cases of suicide and attempted suicide in Quito. The analysis was conducted under a qualitative approach accompanied by a content analysis that evaluated variables regarding the presence of sensationalist tendencies in the structure and content of the articles; these indicators were determined based on a manual designed by international organizations such as the WHO and PAHO. This research makes visible the importance of communicating adequately about suicide and the direct impact that using a sensationalist perspective to address this problem has on the audience. It also reflects the importance of approaching suicide with seriousness and discretion in order to promote prevention instead of feeding and aggravating the problem.