Ethical PR vs. spin and propaganda

The debate around ethics is based on the understanding of what moral right is and how to distinguish it from wrong.

Key theoretical concepts of ethical issues are in brief discussed by Alison Theaker in The Public Relations Handbook (2008, p.145-149). Main terms characterizing ethics are: “common good”, “rights”, “duty” and “responsibility”.

PR is the core element in corporate communications; consequently, it “plays the major role in managing the moral dimension of corporate conduct” as stated by Pearson (Theaker, 2008, p. 148). This author advocates a significant role to PR similar to what Gruning and Hunt call two-way symmetrical model.

“Ethics, - as Holmes says, - is about the good and about the right” (Theaker, 2008, p. 143) while spin and propaganda are seen as manipulation and lying.

According to O’Malley PR is about “the advocacy and dissemination of the partisan viewpoints of those who engage our services” “to promote the lawfully-pursued, self-defined interests of those we serve” (O’Malley, P. In Praise of Secrecy: The ethical foundations of public relations - ).

PR practice is regarded as public responsibility as it is stated in the Code of Ethics. However if practiced by government people often associate it with manipulation, spin and lies.

As Edward Bernays wrote in “Propaganda” (1928): “the conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country”(Burton, B. (2007); Inside Spin: The Dark Underbelly of The PR Industry. P. 2). Such an invisible PR is practiced through spin and propaganda techniques and with the help of manufactured stories, pseudo events, skewed survey statistics, overuse of celebrities and non-disclosure of information.

It is not a secret any longer that people are often being fooled and told lies. The question is: “What could be done to regulate the flow of spin and propaganda and to establish more ethical communications?”

It is always of big advantage to establish an official regulatory body to monitor PR and government communications. Alternatively PR associations’ vigilance role could be reinforced by codes of ethics modification, more severe members’ discipline application, stricter penalties and higher entry qualification demands. However individuals also have to be aware of possible misleading messages sent by government through the media and should neglect its intentions. Moreover it is of great importance to provide them with the possibility to get PR education and be able to participate in controlling the flow of spin and manipulation.