Good news, bad news, or no news: improving radio and TV coverage of nursing issues.

The broadcast media have awesome powertoday, and. as a result, nurses no longer have a choice as to whether or nOI they will use the radio and television media to enhance their professional image. Wcll-dcvclopcd radio and television communication skills can increase a nurse's own success. the success of health care institutions nurses work in. and the success of the nursing profess ion overa ll. Badly presented broadcasting messages or no messages at all detract from nursing'S image and diminish Ihe already scarce resources available to support nursing goals. Media contact is no longer just the job of public relations dcpanmcnls individual nurses, part icularly those in leadership positions. must also become adept at representing nursing in a positive manner to the public. Some nurses defer this task to physicians and administrators. Other nurses who do realize the importance of media attention often lind that they arc ignored by reponers. who think physicians or admin istra tors are the on ly logical spokespersons for news about health care. even nursing issues. Of course , physicians and administrators are usu-