Earlier this month, our sister paper in La Grande, The Observer, encountered one of those moments in journalism fraught with challenges regarding personal privacy, the public’s right to know and tastefulness.

On Wednesday, July 5, a man attempted suicide at the Grande Ronde Hospital construction site after he climbed up to the top of a construction crane.

The individual was later transported to a regional hospital where at last report he was out of intensive care. The incident splashed a spotlight on how a newspaper covers such events, or even if it should.

From my perspective a newspaper only covers such events if they are public. Even then, the utmost caution must be used by a reporter or an editor. There are organizations, including the Society of Professional Journalists, that have suggestions for reporting on suicide, such as including contact information for suicide prevention, and we use those guidelines to inform how we report on suicide.

If an individual attempts or succeeds with suicide in their own home, that isn’t news. That’s private. We don’t have any right nor business getting involved. If, however, the individual commits — or tries to commit an act — in public then that isn’t private anymore. Their actions suddenly impact many others.

I’ve always felt that a newspaper must be prudent and measured in how it responds to such events as a suicide attempt. If it is in public then, of course, the way ahead is a simple one. We report what occurred.

Like nearly every facet of our job, there must be a constant give and take regarding how to cover an important or controversial event between reporters, editors and publishers. Reporters and editors have to approach such subjects with caution but with one key question above all: How does covering this service our readers? If that question has an easy answer the next move is simple. If it doesn’t have an easy answer, then more discussion and thought is needed between reporters and editors.

Our aim when covering a potentially controversial event or happening must be firmly focused on our readers. In the end, our readers are the key component in all that we do.