JOHN HIGGINS,
Sir, - The choice of a picture of the Tánaiste and leader of the Progressive Democrats, Mary Harney, to accompany John Horgan's article on party political broadcasting (Opinion, October 22nd) was, I believe, unprofessional and unfair.
John Horgan's article was headlined: "Posturing which gives politics and television a bad name". To illustrate this with a picture of a politician and a party not mentioned once in the text of the article gives journalism a bad name.
Indeed, Ms Harney was accompanied in the picture by two retiring politicians who had between them given the State over 50 years of honest, non-posturing, service.
The Tánaiste has an open mind on the broadcasting of party conferences. But neither she - nor any other party leader, it appears - was asked for a view for the article itself. In those circumstances, a picture of the author himself, perhaps even on television, would probably have sufficed. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN HIGGINS,
General Secretary,
Progressive Democrats,
South Frederick Street,
Dublin 2.