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Helsinki Edition
October 1998
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Suicide pact initiates ethical discussion
An extraordinary story has caused intense discussion in Belgium about journalistic ethics.
July 22nd. The news bulletin announces the death of a family of four in Kasterlee. They have committed suicide because of inescapable debts. The father killed his wife, two children and then shot himself. A suicide pact?
July 28th. Gay magazine publishes an interview with the parents of the family, obtained five days before they died. They wanted to tell their story to the public. Throughout the interview they talk about naivety and swindle. But what also showed was that their children, a girl of 24 and a boy of 19, didn't volunteer. Their parents decided for them.
The journalist, Ingrid De Bie, contacted the mayor of the village the day after she had done the interview. He promised to look into it and take action, if necessary. But when she watched the news on the 22nd of July she knew the family had gone through with their plan.
After the story was published, a flood of criticism appeared in the media. The journalist was accused of not doing enough to prevent the suicide. The cover of the magazine and the accompanying advertising campaign were considered tasteless.
Other press reacted strongly. Humo was accused of putting their story before the well being of the people they interviewed. Ingrid De Bie knew the article would provoke reactions, but she hadn't expected that kind of hypocrisy. According to her, the newspapers who had been the most critical, weren't the most ethical themselves.
There were also a lot of reactions from politicians, especially from Eric Van Rompuy, Minister of Media. He said that Humo put sales before humanity and that this kind of journalism is cold and immoral. He launched the idea to establish a Higher Council to control the media. At the moment they are discussing the form of this Council. They want to make an ethical board, which handles complaints and decides about their justness. This board can then sanction journalists if they have gone beyond the borders of journalistic ethics. According to the minister, an ethical board is in the interest of everybody because it provides a good structure to formulate complaints and increases the credibility of the journalists.
Many journalists claim that controlling the press is a bit too much government interference. We just have to be careful not to overstep the thin line between regulation and censorship.
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