Mental illness —Taking stigma out of media reporting
When a violent crime makes the news, mental illness is often part of the story. But how that story is told, the words chosen, the details included, the connections drawn, has consequences that ripple far beyond the news cycle. For people living with schizophrenia or psychosis, irresponsible reporting isn't just frustrating. It affects how neighbours treat them, how employers see them, and how they see themselves. For the general public, sensationalised coverage quietly builds a picture of mental illness that is distorted, fear-driven and simply not accurate. Mad, Bad or Misrepresented? Media, Mental Illness and the Stories We Tell was presented on last year's World Mental Health Day by Mental Ill-Health Stigma Researchers Australia Network (MISRA), the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, and the Melbourne School of Global and Population Health. Speakers Dr Anna Ross Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health Tim Heffernan Former NSW Deputy Mental Health Commissioner; Chair of the advocacy organisation BEING — Mental Health Consumers Gayle McNaught Manager, StigmaWatch SANE Australia Dr Chris Groot (host) Senior Lecturer, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences; Co-founder of Mental Ill-Health Stigma Researchers Australia Network (MISRA) Further information StigmaWatch Mindframe and the Mindframe guidelines
March 16, 2026
53 min
192 of 248
March 16, 2026
Mental illness —Taking stigma out of media reporting
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Progressive Liberal Party Episodes Around March 16, 2026
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Mental illness —Taking stigma out of media reporting
Summary
<p>When a violent crime makes the news, mental illness is often part of the story. But how that story is told, the words chosen, the details included, the connections drawn, has consequences that ripple far beyond the news cycle. For people living with schizophrenia or psychosis, irresponsible reporting isn't just frustrating. It affects how neighbours treat them, how employers see them, and how they see themselves. For the general public, sensationalised coverage quietly builds a picture of mental illness that is distorted, fear-driven and simply not accurate.</p><p>Mad, Bad or Misrepresented? Media, Mental Illness and the Stories We Tell was presented on last year's World Mental Health Day by <a href="https://psychologicalsciences.unimelb.edu.au/research/mental-ill-health-stigma-researchers-australia">Mental Ill-Health Stigma Researchers Australia Network</a> (MISRA), the <a href="https://psychologicalsciences.unimelb.edu.au/">Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences</a>, and the <a href="https://mspgh.unimelb.edu.au/">Melbourne School of Global and Population Health</a>.</p><p>Speakers</p><p><a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/342222-anna-ross">Dr Anna Ross</a>Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health</p><p><a href="https://being.org.au/">Tim Heffernan</a>Former NSW Deputy Mental Health Commissioner; Chair of the advocacy organisation BEING — Mental Health Consumers</p><p><a href="https://www.sane.org/get-involved/advocacy/stigmawatch">Gayle McNaught</a>Manager, StigmaWatch SANE Australia</p><p><a href="https://psychologicalsciences.unimelb.edu.au/research/msps-research-groups/mental-illness-stigma-lab/people">Dr Chris Groot</a> (host)Senior Lecturer, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences; Co-founder of Mental Ill-Health Stigma Researchers Australia Network (MISRA)</p><p>Further information</p><p><a href="https://www.sane.org/get-involved/advocacy/stigmawatch">StigmaWatch</a></p><p><a href="https://mindframe.org.au/">Mindframe</a> and the <a href="https://mindframe.org.au/guidelines">Mindframe guidelines</a></p>