Suche
Mein Konto
Papageno Media Prize 2025: Courageous voices break the silence about suicide!
The Papageno Media Prize 2025 honors Diana Köhler and Johanna Tirnthal for their contribution to suicide prevention in farming environments.
Papageno Media Prize 2025: Courageous voices break the silence about suicide!
On September 30, 2025, the renowned Papageno Media Prize awarded at the Concordia press club in Vienna. This prize is awarded annually by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Health on the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day. This year the journalists receivedDiana KöhlerandJohanna Tirnthalthe award for her sensitive radio report “Stresses on the Farm”, which was broadcast in the “Journal Panorama” on Ö1.
The article deals with the complex topic of suicidality in farming environments, highlights personal stories and brings them together with well-researched data and facts. The standard highlights that the jury praised the sensitive and profound presentation of the topic. Health Minister Korinna Schumann, who presented the award, emphasized the media's responsibility in suicide prevention and the need for constructive reporting.
Importance of price
The Papageno Media Prize, which was awarded for the seventh time in 2025, is endowed with 5,000 euros. It aims to raise public awareness of the issues of suicide and mental health and to reduce the stigmatization of those affected. Every year around 1,200 people die by suicide in Austria, which is three times as many as from traffic accidents, which underlines the urgency of such a prize.
During the award ceremony, Köhler made clear the importance of making structural grievances visible in order to save lives. Tirnthal, on the other hand, took this opportunity to emphasize the need to break the silence about mental health crises, especially in taboo areas such as agriculture. These views are also reflected in the “Papageno effect,” a concept that suggests responsible reporting can have a positive impact on suicide prevention.
A project for marginalized voices
Johanna Tirnthal has been coordinating the “Free Radio for Cottbus and Lausitz” project at the Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg since May 2025. This non-commercial project serves as a cultural and meeting place and promotes marginalized voices through workshops. Media reports about suicide, especially in the agricultural sector, are an important part of social education.
In addition to the award winners, two other contributions were also nominated for the Papageno Media Prize:Sebastian Fellnerfrom the The standard for the articles “Nothing lasts forever” and “Nicole knows the highest highs and the lowest lows – and is an expert in getting back up again” as wellMonika Fischerfrom Radio Classic St. Stephen's Cathedral for “You don’t get a second chance at life.”
The Papageno Media Prize is part of the Austria-wide “Yellow September 2025” campaign, which takes place annually around World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th. This honor sets an example for the importance of addressing suicide prevention in the media, which makes an essential contribution to stigmatization and encourages people in crises to accept help.