Best Practices for Reporting on Community Gun Violence

June 19, 2021 The Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting

During 2024, PCGVR staffers visited, collaborated with, held meetings at, or delivered presentations for the following organizations:

Association of Health Care Journalists • Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication • Barnard College • Berkeley Media Studies Group • Center for Cooperative Media • Billy Penn • Center for Just Journalism • Collaborative Journalism Summit • Council on Criminal Justice Crime Trends Working Group • FrameWorks Institute • Institute for Storycraft and Information Gathering at Tufts University • Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference • Klein News Innovation Camp • KSDK 5 On Your Side St. Louis • Law & Justice Journalism Project • Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting at Temple University • Montclair State University School of Communication and Media • MU Society of Professional Journalists • National Press Club Journalism Institute • National Press Foundation • National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms • NBC4 Washington • NBC10 Philadelphia • PBS NewsHour • The Poynter Institute • Public Trust • Radio Television Digital News Association • Resolve Philadelphia • Schemel Forum at the University of Scranton • School of Communication at American University in Washington • School of Global Journalism & Communication at Morgan State University • The Stoneleigh Foundation • University of Missouri School of Journalism • University of Pennsylvania • Washington and Lee University • WFTS ABC Action News Tampa Bay

We are very grateful for these opportunities and already planning new partnerships for the new year. After launching in 2020 and and emerging as the pandemic receded, our organization accelerated into more extensive collaborative efforts during 2023.

News coverage of gun violence often inadvertently perpetuates stereotypical narratives about the people and communities most impacted. Typical coverage focuses on individual episodes of gun violence and often lacks an explanation of what causes it and what could be done to prevent it. These reporting practices can further stigmatize marginalized communities and promote fatalism around gun violence prevention. By changing the way gun violence is covered, reporters can take an active role in minimizing harm to injured people, communities, and society—and even make an important contribution toward preventing gun violence.

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If you or someone you know is suicidal, in crisis, or in need of general mental health support, please know help is available. You can contact your physician, local hospital emergency room, or any of the hotlines, text lines, web chats, and support groups listed below. Most are free and confidential resources. Many are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
• Crisis Text Line: 741741
• Lifeline Chat web chat service
• Samaritans’ Helpline: (877) 870-4673 (available in 240+ languages)

Journalists: Take this online course on Responsible Reporting on Suicide. (You can audit for free or pay to get certified.)

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