By Crikey, Glenn Dyer really overestimates the advantages of being a journalist when reading news. There is no relationship between being a journalist and being a good newsreader. There is a definite relationship between having an enquiring mind and a general suspicion of journalists and reading news intelligently.

I have worked with a large number of journalists since 1967 and wish I was more impressed with what they do. I have also worked with, and observed a lot of, news readers who have no idea at all about what they are doing. I can understand why they dress well – it must be a form of displacement activity.

There is a very big art in doing anything well. I only wish my observations were the product of some bitterness on my part, but unfortunately they aren’t. Bit of a shame, really, because I really do want to believe that people are chosen because they actually do the job well. I go to my dentist because he’s dedicated, qualified and professional. I have no idea what he wears.