Enkele kritische kanttekeningen bij het negatieve oordeel over ingezonden brieven-schrijvers

Samenvatting

People who write letters to public instit's or important people generally have a low reputation among social scientists; thus, the Dutch media specialist A. Piepenhorst divides people who write to radio and TV stations into: (1) elderly; (2) mentally disturbed; and (3) cranks. This view is challenged and an analysis of Dutch and foreign material is made to determine whether it is right. The material includes a study of writers of letters to Dutch TV stations; an analysis of letters to the Second West German TV Network; and a collection of letters to F. D. Roosevelt. It is concluded that the low view of such writers is unjustified and that the number of their letters is likely to increase. I. Langnas.