Prestigious media award for suicide prevention reporting goes to BTU scientist Johanna Tirnthal

It is awarded annually by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Work and Health on the occasion of the World Suicide Prevention Day.

Media reports on suicide play an important role in social education and prevention. In its statement, the jury emphasised that the journalists Diana Köhler (freelance journalist) and Johanna Tirnthal had addressed a topic that is rarely talked about in their radio report on Ö1's "Journal Panorama": Suicidal behaviour in a rural environment. In their programme, they approach the topic from different perspectives. Sensitively told personal stories are categorised by well-researched data and facts in the context of society as a whole.

The award was presented in the name of Austria's Minister of Health, Korinna Schumann, at a ceremony at the Concordia Press Club in Vienna.

"I am particularly pleased about the Papageno Prize because it recognises how important it is to break the silence about mental health crises in all areas, even in previously taboo areas such as agriculture - and that good journalistic work can not only touch people or uncover grievances, but in the best case can even save lives," emphasises Johanna Tirnthal.

About the scientist and journalist

She has been coordinating the "Free Radio for Cottbus and Lusatia" project at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) since May 2025. As the first free radio station in southern Brandenburg, a non-commercial cultural and meeting place is being created here. Johanna Tirnthal uses her journalistic and Media Pedagogy expertise to build a radio community. Marginalised voices in particular are directly addressed as radio makers, for example through "radio driving licence" workshops. They give people in the region access to the radio project. The three-year project is funded by the Kulturplan Lausitz project fund and the Brandenburg Participation Fund.

About the Papageno Media Prize for suicide prevention reporting

It has been proven that a certain form of reporting can generally have a suicide-preventive effect ("Papageno effect"). In Austria, the Austrian Press Council enshrined suicide-preventive reporting in its code of honour in 2012. Since 2019, the "Papageno Media Prize for Suicide Prevention Reporting" has been awarded annually for the best suicide prevention journalistic article published in an Austrian medium. It is endowed with 5,000 euros.

The radio programme "Belastungen am Bauernhof" (26 May 2025 Ö1- ORF Radio Österreich 1) can be listened to here: https://sound.orf.at/collection/3070/103340/belastungen-am-bauernhof