Suicide of Daniele Alves Lopes
Daniele Alves Lopes was a Brazilian teenager who jumped to her death from an office building in São Paulo's central business district. She was 16 years old. The suicide was filmed by a Brazilian news show, Aqui Agora (Here Now) and shown on the SBT network. This broadcast led to skyrocketing ratings, and a national conversation about the sensationalized, violent and amoral nature of that news show.[1]
Death
On July 5, 1993, Daniele Lopes, despondent from a recent romantic break-up, climbed out on a 7th story parapet of an office building where she worked as a receptionist. While contemplating her fate, police and a news crew arrived and started filming. The events were filmed until after the girl jumped, but the scene was cut before she reached the ground.[2][3]
When the unedited footage was shown on Brazilian national television, it caused a spike in ratings. Lopes' youth and broken heart may have romanticized and contributed to the interest in the incident.[2]
An edited version of the suicide was also shown on American television, with commentary.[citation needed]
Aftermath
The Brazilian psychiatrist Jacob Pinheiro Goldberg was a prominent critical voice of the broadcast, stating it may cause a societal desensitization effect,[4] and psychoanalyst Jurandir Freire Costa referred to the media as vultures. Other communication experts were also critical.[2]
In 1994, the Alves Lopes family reached a 1.05 million dollar settlement with SBT network for moral damage.[5]
References
- ^ Brooke, J. (1993). "In Sao Paulo, The TV News in Real Time". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c De Castro (2014). "Em 1993, Aqui Agora exibiu suicídio de adolescente e chocou o Brasil". Televisao.
- ^ "Aqui Agora era seleção brasileira de repórteres, relembra Gil Gomes - Últimas Notícias - UOL TV e Famosos". UOL TV e Famosos (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- ^ "Network Criticized for Televising Teen-age Girl's Suicide". AP. 1993.
- ^ DA Reportagem Local (1994). "SBT é condenado a pagar R$ 1 mi a familia de menina que se matou". Folha De S. Paulo.