Issues in PR conclusion

The last day, the last hours of the Theory and Issues in PR module. In fact the classes ended on the 24th of March, but from then and until now we had the opportunity to revise everything we have learned during this course and to continue our blogs.

This is my last post for this class but hopefully not for PR profession. And here I would like to sum up what is written in my blog.

Public Relations is the art and science of establishing relationships between a company and its audience. It plays a key role in creating communication channels between these players and in spreading the message across people. such interaction is supposed to be a two-way mutually beneficial dialogue resulting in particular public actions. This is the good side.

However PR has a doubtful side: propaganda, spinning, fiction, manipulation, ethics and moral issues, "window-dressing" through CSR and NGO, women's discrimination, transparency and authenticity etc.

In addition to this the "bad" side of PR is the loss of people's trust, critique and an undermined reputation.

Truthful and devoted to the profession practitioners still struggle hard to improve and "lift" the face of PR. Using new technologies, new media, new global opportunities, new advocates and new "brains" these fighters are moving towards people's interests, ethically and legislatively regulated activities, charitable and socially responsible deeds and of course towards a good name.

In conclusion I'd like to say that PR is an essential part of our everyday life. Every single person is introducing and promoting him/herself to others, is doing his/her own PR even without realising it. PR professionals help people communicate, have a dialogue, say their opinions, concerns, share their information and experience and so forth. What could happen if PR didn't exist? There would have definitely been an analogue to this profession. Nonetheless people's feedback, evaluation and analysis are crucial for its reputation and existence.

It is not truth that this profession has almost died out - there are plenty of new ways and opportunities for development, it is just important to look attentively around, understand people's needs and create.

Can PR ever be ethical?

Ethics is a sensitive and almost "eternal" issue in PR.

I have such an impression that this question is discussed nearly in the course of every possible matter. People often accuse PR of being unethical. Political propaganda and spinning have undermined PR's reputation, but the profession itself is not immoral to a 100%. However I won't agree with that NGO and voluntary sector PR are the most ethical ones. Might it be simply new names for calling or to "veiling" means to achieve someone's interests? To me these organizations' real intentions seem doubtful and contradicting to what they tell people about their goals. But this is a completely separate question.

Nonetheless I believe that PR can become ethical. Codes of Conduct and Ethics are essential to establishing legitimate PR practice, better PR reputation and trustworthy relationships between any organization and its audience.

Openness and transparency are another issue on the way to ethical PR. In my opinion social media is today's key benefit: independent users who are now writers and publishers of their own unedited content advocate the truth and critique any lies, - so modern Internet users have the best opportunity to represent the voice of a company. Such people reveal the tales. Consequently it's in organization's interests not to disappoint its customers, to follow their expectations and respond to their moral values.

Actually its is more about the duty of PR practitioners to follow ethical regulations in PR. This is something that a child is explained by his parents, but has to be taught during all his life, as he grows up, according to life situations.

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.