( CNN ) -- The tragic death of much loved actor and comedian Robin Williams took the world by surprise . There has been a steady stream of news reports -- at first conveying shock and disbelief then , disappointingly , moving on to salacious speculation about the cause and method of his death . Media coverage of mental health and suicide has come a long way over the last few years however , on this occasion ; many newspapers got it badly wrong . In Britain , some journalists went too far and breached the Editors ' Code , the ethical standard on press reporting that states that `` when reporting suicide , care should be taken to avoid excessive detail about the method used . '' Many of the tabloids and online reports gave unnecessary detail . Part of the reason is that the U.S. police spokesperson put into the public domain far more detail than would be the norm in the UK , Australia or New Zealand . When explicit descriptions which illustrate the method used are put in the public domain we know that this can have devastating consequences and lead to acts of imitation . There have been many research studies presenting evidence for this and the tragic events in Bridgend should have been a valuable lesson for the media in the need for safe reporting . When a media report describes clear details of unusual methods of suicide and essentially gives a `` how to '' guide -- the danger is it can make suicide seem like a more accessible action to take . Opinion : Why Williams lost to depression . The media also oversimplified the reasons Williams took his own life -- for example highlighting money problems -- when we know that there is no one reason people choose to take their lives . The reasons are varied and complex . Concerning too is the effect that wall-to-wall media coverage about a celebrity suicide can have on the public . However unintentionally , it can appear to glamorize and romanticize the incident . One of the most well documented examples of the copycat effect of a celebrity suicide was that of Marilyn Monroe . During the month of her suicide in August 1962 there were an additional 303 suicides , an increase of 12 % . Suicide is a sensitive and complicated subject which affects a huge number of people . This is why , when news of Robin Williams ' death first broke , we issued a briefing to all newsdesks which provided advice on how to report suicide in a sensitive , and responsible , way . We followed it up with a second briefing the next afternoon . We urged journalists to consult Samaritans media guidelines , this resource has been produced in conjunction with journalists and has been welcomed by editors . While we appreciate journalists have a hugely difficult task presenting breaking news to readers quickly and concisely against increasingly tight deadlines , accuracy and sensitivity can not take a back seat . When journalists are writing pieces they should always consider the impact that the tone , content , prominence and imagery of their story will have on their audience . Opinion : Suicide does n't set you free . I have been asked a lot over the last few days why certain aspects of a death by suicide should not be reported . In short it 's to keep people , who may be struggling with their mental health , safe . We know that around 6,000 people take their own life every year in the UK , and thousands more will attempt suicide , seriously contemplate it and battle mental health problems . When done correctly , media coverage can be incredibly powerful in helping people to seek support and advice . It can also contribute towards changing public attitudes towards mental health problems and reducing the stigma that sadly still exists . We are hopeful that there is willingness in the media industry to listen and act on the concerns raised by the mental health charities , experts and their own audiences . Social media is giving readers a voice like never before and editors now know quickly when they are out of step with the public mood . We believe we can work collaboratively with the media to make mental health and suicide reporting safe . The views expressed in this commentary are solely the author 's .
There have been many news reports on actor Robin Williams since his death this week . Paul Farmer says reports of shock and disbelief moved on to salacious speculation . Score: 7 Journalists need to take into account the impact their reporting can have , he says .