SIR,—Every journalist would recognise the brands of PRO catalogued by
Katharine Whitehorn, without necessarily agreeing that 'offending them all would be satisfying work.' British Railways ones, in my experience, are extremely good (of course, they need to be), and quick, accurate information and comment from public bodies is not so easy to come by that we can afford to dispense with those who provide it.
But the PRO-journalist war is more complex than Miss Whitehorn allows for. When we meet an averageiy inane PRO, our usual comment is, 'Of course, the man's never been a journalist' (meaning that he does not know our needs). But Miss White- horn sounds as though she heaves a little sigh when- ever she sees a good journalist going over to the enemy'and becoming a PRO (as many do, for money, regular hours, or a quiet life). So she really should not complain if the general level of PR remains so low.
On the other hand, surely she would agree that many journalists, perhaps even the majority, are ultimately engaged by their proprietors not to find out truth but 'to sell products'? And products, many of them, which a self-respecting PR man would refuse to handle.—Yours faithfully,
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