Dear PRSA and media professionals,
Perhaps the recent dialogue about "spin doctors" would be a great topic for an
upcoming PRSA meeting with media professionals and PR professionals in our
region.
While I think it's true that most professional media people understand the
difference between "spin doctors" and PR professionals who abide by the PRSA
Code of Ethics, I am not sure that Joe or Josephine 6-Pack, the ordinary
viewers, who after all do not have to be literate to absorb TV news, have an
inkling of the distinction. I am certain that WBIR-TV, in its promotional
piece, does not intend to imply that they don't draw upon the resources and
information supplied by ethical PR pros to tell their stories, yet many viewers,
even some well-educated viewers, may tend to lump "spin doctors, flacks and PR"
into the same category. It has been said by some critical observers that
journalism has gone from being the watchdog (truly serving the public interest
as the Fourth Estate), to lapdog (serving the interests of business and
government) to junkyard dog (attacking everything with wild abandon). These
labels are about as erroneous as "spin doctors."
Recent research shows that about two-thirds of all news generated comes from
government and PR sources; this emphasizes the true interdependence of the news
and PR professions. Given the budget cutbacks that newsrooms across the country
have suffered in the last few years, news pros are more dependent than ever on
PR pros to provide background information. This makes it more necessary than
ever for PR pros to provide truthful, accurate, meaningful information and for
the two professions to have a better understanding of each other. The crusty
old editor or reporter who routinely ignores PR efforts is still around to some
extent, but a more enlightened editor or reporter takes a critical look at PR
information and uses it to her advantage to broaden the story perspective. I
think it is incumbent upon members of both professions to make sure that the
information is accurate and that there is respect between the two professions so
that the poor public has some idea of what is going on in the community and the
world.
If TVA, the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce and city government all put out
messages to all their stakeholders declaring that from now on they were going to
bypass the hacks (or ambush Journalists, parachute journalists, celebrity
journalists or Geraldo Rivera wannabees) in the TV newsrooms to tell their
publics the real story, there would likely be a similar outcry among TV news
pros.
Every profession has its ethical practitioners and its unethical practitioners,
including television news and PR. Unfortunately, the PR cases that usually get
the most visibility are the most egregious examples of ethical breaches within
the profession. I believe important contributors to the problem are the
questionable business ethics that many PR pros run up against. Often, business
executives seem to listen to the legal advice to shut up and/or cover up rather
than solid PR advice which counsels them to go public and tell the truth.
Firestone, for example was advised early on by the PR firm, Fleishman-Hilliard,
which was taking in $2.5 million a month to represent them, to voluntarily
recall the tires and save lives. Firestone, as we now know, chose a different
route and suffered the consequences.
It seems that there would be great benefit in organizing a panel of media pros
and PR pros to openly discuss these issues. Perhaps a joint PRSA and SPJ
meeting would be of use.
-John M. King, Ph.D.
"Jon C. Lundberg" wrote:
> Whatever the outcome of the ongoing WBIR discussion - I would like to give a
> "kudos" to the use of this listserv.
>
> This discussion shows how important this forum can be for meaningful
> exchange. I suggest we use this forum much more in this way.
>
> Drawing on expertise and experience is essential in our profession. I have
> been a practitioner for a long time, but I have never stopped learning. I
> learn from my mistakes - and the mistakes of others.
>
> Consider the quote, "The clash of good ideas will produce a better one" and
> I think we can see what this forum can provide.
>
> I look forward to much more!
>
> Jon
>
> Jon C. Lundberg
> The Corporate Image, Inc.
> www.corporatepr.com
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