On communication---editors and reporters should not be blamed

doi:10.1136/bmj.325.7377.1423/b

BMJ 2002;325:1423 ( 14 December )

Letters

On communication $---$ editors and reporters should not be blamed

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR $---$ It's a tale so sad it's difficult to suppress a smile. In only two of eight interviews was Fallowfield able to communicatewhat she wanted to say about communication skills.¹ I too amdepressed by the standard of some $---$ but certainly not all $---$ of themedical reporting on news programmes but it's a bit of a copoutto blame editors and reporters, who work to a different agendafrom people who seekpublicity.

Doctors accused of having poor communication skills are not allowed to blame their patients. The fault, their teachers tellthem, lies not in their audience but in themselves. Surely thesame stricture applies to people who teach or promote communicationskills.

The media in the 21st century are difficult and dangerous channels to navigate for those who seek publicity for their workor for themselves. Yet people can win themselves a chance to saywhat . . . [Full text of this article]

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us Add to Digg

Digg

StumbleUpon Add to Technorati

Technorati What's this?

Relevant Article

What is newsworthy?: Lesley Fallowfield and Michael Baum
BMJ 2002 325: 774. [Extract] [Full Text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Bad news for research: Lesley Fallowfield
bmj.com, 17 Dec 2002 [Full text]
In search of understanding: Michael O'Donnell
bmj.com, 18 Dec 2002 [Full text]
In search of customers: Simon Knowles
bmj.com, 18 Dec 2002 [Full text]
The danger of irony: Michael O'Donnell
bmj.com, 19 Dec 2002 [Full text]