Pick up the phone

Student journalists seem reluctant to use the phone prefering the keyboard.

Tim Luckhurst writes at his centre for journalism that (ht-Judith Townend

An important message has emerged from my recent discussions with Kent Messenger Group editors, news editors and reporters. Centre for Journalism students are wonderful and very talented. The KM Group is delighted to have you, but there is always room for improvement and in this case it involves use of the telephone.

It is,I hasten to add not just journalism students but people in general.Email and social network personal messaging has taken the fear factor out of personal contact.People know longer have to justify their action,instead they can hide behind the keyboard.

I'm not a luddite,technology has a massive part to play in our new media society but let it never take the place of personal contact either by phone or face to face.