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Good piece by Jerome Burne (independent journalist) on PACE Trial (September 26)

worldbackwards

Senior Member
Messages
2,051
Interesting comment from the author on trying to get a similar story published in the popular press:
Thanks I’m working on it but not hugely optimistic – CFS is viewed in mainstream press as one of those impossible areas- going in is intervening in a civil war – you probably can’t broker a deal and it is more trouble than it is worth
 

Sidereal

Senior Member
Messages
4,856
Best not to heckle them in the future. Had that incident not happened, the ME/CFS community would have kept a clean sheet as far as 'harassment' goes (not that heckling is harassment but it's still something unpleasant that they can point to and exaggerate out of all proportion when it suits them).
 

worldbackwards

Senior Member
Messages
2,051
Best not to heckle them in the future. Had that incident not happened, the ME/CFS community would have kept a clean sheet as far as 'harassment' goes (not that heckling is harassment but it's still something unpleasant that they can point to and exaggerate out of all proportion when it suits them).
You're right of course, but it is amusing that that is all they can pull up. You'd think it was like Beruit or something the way they go on.
 

Yogi

Senior Member
Messages
1,132
Interesting comment from the author on trying to get a similar story published in the popular press:

Thanks I’m working on it but not hugely optimistic – CFS is viewed in mainstream press as one of those impossible areas- going in is intervening in a civil war – you probably can’t broker a deal and it is more trouble than it is worth

It is good he is looking into this. However over the last two decades when I have opened the newspaper and turned on the TV the media has reported on Afghanistan Iraq, Iran, Syria, Rwanda, N Ireland, Israel, N Korea, Somalia, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Ukraine, and they weren't afraid to report on these conflicts.

Is this issue worse than those??

Silly me - I thought the media reported on issues rather than being the United Nations and trying to broker a deal??
 
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Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
Interesting comment from the author on trying to get a similar story published in the popular press:

Thanks I’m working on it but not hugely optimistic – CFS is viewed in mainstream press as one of those impossible areas- going in is intervening in a civil war – you probably can’t broker a deal and it is more trouble than it is worth

It is good he is looking into this. However over the last two decades when I have opened the newspaper and turned on the TV the media has reported on Iraq, Iran, Syria, Rwanda, N Ireland, Israel, N Korea, Somalia, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Ukraine, and they weren't afraid to report on these conflicts.

Is this issue worse than those??

Silly me - I thought the media reported on issues rather than being the United Nations and trying to broker a deal??
I think one possible issue is that the pieces the journalists publish are often criticised by people in the ME community. Journalists don't necessarily like their work being criticised especially if they are not opinion-based journalist. Journalists can also often be freelance or not in secure positions.

Something to keep in mind I think. Things like "ME also known as chronic fatigue syndrome" for example may not be worth strong criticism.

Journalists might feel that no matter how hard they try, they will be criticised.
 

Yogi

Senior Member
Messages
1,132
I don't know journalists usually love controversial issues and lots of clicks and comments.

There are many controversial issues which they cover widely including Islamic terrorism and Israel/Palestine and are not afraid to do so. They get lots of criticism from both sides of these issues. Again is this issue even more controversial?

I agree no point nit-picking. I assume the criticism is in the comments section - that is what it for?
 

Glycon

World's Most Dangerous Hand Puppet
Messages
299
Location
ON, Canada
Something to keep in mind I think. Things like "ME also known as chronic fatigue syndrome" for example may not be worth strong criticism.

This. Not only is it not worth the waste of one's limited time and energy, but it is technically true. ;)

What SHOULD be criticized is "doctors vs patients" narrative, when it is in fact "doctors following government guidelines vs majority of rigorous scientific research".
 

worldbackwards

Senior Member
Messages
2,051
I think one possible issue is that the pieces the journalists publish are often criticised by people in the ME community. Journalists don't necessarily like their work being criticised especially if they are not opinion-based journalist. Journalists can also often be freelance or not in secure positions.

Something to keep in mind I think. Things like "ME also known as chronic fatigue syndrome" for example may not be worth strong criticism.

Journalists might feel that no matter how hard they try, they will be criticised.
Yeah, to be fair it probably feels comparatively worse than most subjects in how closely and harshly it's scrutinised.

For example, I think it's fair to say that Isabel Hardman made a botch of her article last year. But I think, ineptness aside, she genuinely wanted to help and it was notable that when, say, Tom and Bob engaged with her, she was happy to talk and said so in her revisions. However, when James Coyne called her a bitch, she inexplicably became a tad upset.

Of course Coyne isn't a patient and is a law unto himself (alas...), but it is an example of how quickly people are prepared to have a go and how counterproductive it can be. People like Liddle are, of course, way beyond talking, but in some cases it may be better to engage with constructive criticism than just let rip and not everyone seems to realise this. And as you point out, some things are hardly worth criticising.
 

TiredSam

The wise nematode hibernates
Messages
2,677
Location
Germany
I think one possible issue is that the pieces the journalists publish are often criticised by people in the ME community. Journalists don't necessarily like their work being criticised especially if they are not opinion-based journalist. Journalists can also often be freelance or not in secure positions.

Something to keep in mind I think. Things like "ME also known as chronic fatigue syndrome" for example may not be worth strong criticism.

Journalists might feel that no matter how hard they try, they will be criticised.
I know we can be a tough crowd, but aren't journalists these days used to criticism from trolls with an axe to grind on any issue they write about? Is there any evidence that readers with ME are any more vexatious than readers who feel involved / affected by any other controversial topic? Did readers in the UK politely refrain from commenting on Brexit articles before and after the in/out vote, lest they upset the journalists' sensibilities? Or did they nit-pick and troll away to their heart's content, without fear that the subject wouldn't be covered again if they didn't behave themselves?

Anything that even hints at the "vexatious ME sufferers as the authors of their own misfortune" narrative should be closely scrutinised, in whatever context it arises. I'd hazard a guess that our contributions to comments sections are more politely expressed and better informed than the average.
 

worldbackwards

Senior Member
Messages
2,051
I know we can be a tough crowd, but aren't journalists these days used to criticism from trolls with an axe to grind on any issue they write about? Is there any evidence that readers with ME are any more vexatious than readers who feel involved / affected by any other controversial topic? Did readers in the UK politely refrain from commenting on Brexit articles before and after the in/out vote, lest they upset the journalists' sensibilities? Or did they nit-pick and troll away to their heart's content, without fear that the subject wouldn't be covered again if they didn't behave themselves?
To be fair, political journalists can't avoid writing about Brexit or Jeremy Corbyn, it's their primary job and they rarely stop whinging about the hassle they get on Twitter and the like. Health journos can quite easily duck out on ME and do so.
 

leela

Senior Member
Messages
3,290
It is good he is looking into this. However over the last two decades when I have opened the newspaper and turned on the TV the media has reported on Iraq, Iran, Syria, Rwanda, N Ireland, Israel, N Korea, Somalia, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Ukraine, and they weren't afraid to report on these conflicts.

Is this issue worse than those??
Wasn't it Wessely who said he felt safer in Afghanistan than in the company of ME patients? Which slander, by the way, he ought to be forced to apologise for.