Controversy attracts journalists.
In a world where things are expected to go right, journalists look for things that go wrong the unusual, abnormal, unexpected, and dramatic. Many family planning program managers think that the news media should give them unquestioned coverage, support, and endorsement because they are providing good services and not doing anything wrong. Although you cannot change what journalists consider news, you sometimes can affect how journalists cover a controversy. If the story is baseless, they may decide not to run it. Even journalists who are prejudiced or unfriendly, however, deserve courtesy, respect, and offers of assistance.