Blood with a Twist: On-Air Suicide

On Sunday, June 15, 1974, in Sarasota, Florida television reporter Christine Chubbuck attempted on-air suicide during her local 9 a.m. newscast, Suncoast Digest. After taking a .38 revolver bullet to the back of her head Chubbuck was rushed to Sarasota Memorial Hospital. She was pronounced dead 14 hours later.

Immediately phone calls came piling into the station and police department. Many people were questioning if the event was a real situation or staged. For some time after Chubbuck’s death reruns of Gentle Ben were aired rather than Suncoast Digest – which would later return to the air for several years.

As documented in the Sarasota County Sheriff’s statement, Chubbuck’s final words stated, “In keeping with the WXLT practice of presenting the most immediate and complete reports of local blood and guts news, Tv 40 presents what is believed to be a television first. In living color, an exclusive coverage of attempted suicide. (Gun fires at this point).”

Chubbuck wrote her suicide into a script for the day’s show including a prediction of the hospital and listing her condition as critical. The report was later found and read by news director Mike Simmons. Simmons described her well-planned suicide as a final call for recognition from all those she reached out to, and her plea to be there for the world, not just Sarasota Florida.

According to brother Greg Chubbuck, Christine “detested” the violence and crime taking precedence in the news: This he claims was her driving force behind the circumstances of her suicide. Although her station manager and mother would put more relevance on her failed relationships and lack of opportunities to have a child.

Colleagues Rob Smith and Jean Reed had even laughed off Chubbuck’s supposed disturbing jokes about killing herself on air to boost ratings through giving credit to her dark sense of humor. Prior to her on-air suicide, Chubbuck had even interviewed a local sheriff on how to effectively commit suicide for an investigative piece on suicide cleared by her editor.

Only obvious to her mom and brother, Chubbuck was majorly depressed and had exhibited suicidal tendencies – including a failed drug overdose in 1970 mentioned frequently. As for 1974’s successful suicide, neither her brother or mother were aware of Christine’s intent prior.

Although gifted academically, Peg told Washington Post her daughter “just couldn’t connect with people.” Greg recalled recently that his sister had symptoms of bipolar disorder, which was not widely known in the field of psychology at the time of her suicide. He also disclosed their parents had spent just under $1 million during adolescent years to “help Chrissie find peace.”

There are no reputable videos of the shooting to be found today – although beware, there are fakes lurking around the web now and again. Greg has gone so far as to obtain an injunction with the hopes the footage of his sister’s suicide will never be seen by anyone but those who witnessed the act live.

Christine Chubbuck has lived on in the news, and media since her death. Her suicide was the inspiration for the 2003 book “Conditions” by Christopher Sorrentino. Furthermore, two films were presented at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival in connection with Christine Chubbuck: “Christine” was published as a coverage of Chubbuck’s last days of life while “Kate Plays Christine” portrayed actress Kate Lyn Sheil’s preparation work for playing Chubbuck.