Daniele Alves Lopes' suicide



Daniele Alves Lopes was a Brazilian teenager who committed suicide jumping from the top of a commercial building in São Paulo. She was 16 years old. Her suicide was aired live on the SBT newscast, Aqui Agora. This broadcast increased the ratings and generated a debate about the sensationalist nature about the sensationalized, violent and amoral nature of that news show.

Incident
On July 5, 1993, Daniele Lopes, unhappy over her recent romantic breakup, climbed the 7th floor parapet of an office building where she worked as a receptionist. As she looked out the window, the police and a team of reporters arrived and began filming. The case was aired until after she jumped, but the scene was cut before she hit the ground.

When the raw footage of the suicide was aired on television, there was a surge in viewership. Lopes' youth and heartbreak may have romanticized and contributed to interest in the incident.

An edited version of the suicide was also shown on American television, with commentary.

Aftermath
The Brazilian psychiatrist Jacob Pinheiro Goldberg criticized it, saying that it can cause a desensitizing effect on society. Psychoanalyst Jurandir Freire Costa called Brazilian media "vultures". Other communication experts also criticized the network's stance.

In 1994, Daniele's family received from SBT an indemnity of R$1.05 million for moral damages.