[Read between the lines--mass media and the making of public opinion--medicine and the media].
There has been a continuous change of civilization and communication in our society since the mid-nineties of the last century. Even medicine has to accept new fields of activity and bring up to date its response in the cooperation with the media. Both, medicine in general and gynaecology in particular will have to get used to a close relationship between public relation and professional skills. That is to say, communication, criteria and system, must undergo permanent reconsideration and development. Excellent knowledge of communication both in theory and practice together with the know-how of handling media and journalists are therefore required. The author of the following dissertation will make an effort to explain and to cover the wide range of public relation spreading between newspaper reports and interviews. Doctors whatever and wherever their job is but gynaecologists in particular must realize that co-operation with the media will be a challenge and a duty in the years ahead.