University of Botswana
Department of Media Studies
BMS 226 ETHICS FOR MEDIA PROFESSIONALS
HANDOUT 20: PUBLIC RELATIONS INTRODUCTION
Definition of public relations
Public relations (PR) is about organizations (or politicians, or celebrities etc.) creating and keeping a good relationship with people that the organization depends on for its success.
Unlike advertising or marketing, public relations is more ‘soft sell’ than ‘hard sell.’ PR is about information and persuasion rather than paying for advertising. It is sometimes accused of being ‘propaganda’ or ‘spin’ i.e. ‘the intentional manipulation of public opinion without regard for what is accurate or true’.
Issues of PR
Today, many people believe that PR workers are unethical – they tell lies.
Critics argue that there can be no ‘ethical’ public relations because PR is about not telling the truth and is about propaganda.
Some say that there is no such thing as ‘public relations ethics’ and even say that PR people are deliberately ‘unethical’ because their whole business is about telling lies.
In the early days of PR (1850 – 1905) in the US, there were many worries about the way PR people worked.
PR people (called ‘press agents’) wanted to get publicity for their clients any way they could.
In 1906 one major PR worker called Ivy Lee came up with a ‘declaration of principles’ to get PR people to work in a more ethical way. He wanted PR people to tell the truth and provide people with accurate information.
Today, ethics in PR depend on codes of ethics / codes of conduct that are drawn up by the major PR professional associations. Membership in these groups is voluntary, meaning that a PR worker is not required to belong to such an association in order to work in PR.
Members agree to abide by a code of ethics that is written for the entire group. Some codes of ethics are about things that a PR worker SHOULD NOT DO. Other codes are about things a PR worker SHOULD DO.
Terence Fane-Saunders, Chairman and Chief Executive of Chelgate, a PR company, made this list of PR ethics for his company.
· We don’t lie.
· We don't withhold facts if we know that by withholding them we actually mislead.
· We don't buy favours. If a media trip is primarily a ‘jolly’ for the journalists, rather than a chance to see and learn, then that is buying favours. And we don't.
· We don't abdicate responsibility. We are not just messengers in Brooks Brothers suits. We are responsible for the information we provide. ‘Well, that's what I was told’ isn't good enough. If we have reason to doubt the facts, we check and check again.
· We don’t make promises. And when we do make them, we keep them. And if we don’t keep them, we admit the fact and put the record straight.
The Chartered Institute of Professional Relations (CIPR) Code of Conduct
Introduction
Maintaining professional standards in the public relations profession
Reputation has a direct and major impact on the corporate well-being of every organisation, be it a multinational, a charity, a Government Department or a small business.
That is why the professionalism of those people who guard and mould reputation – public relations practitioners – is so important.
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations, as the voice of the PR profession, plays a key role in setting and maintaining standards.
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations Code of Conduct and Complaints Procedure
Members of the CIPR agree to abide by a Code of Professional Conduct.
Anyone can make a Complaint to the Institute if they believe a CIPR Member (or others for whom they are directly responsible) may have breached the Code.
It is the Code, and the fact that the Institute can take steps to uphold it, that makes Members accountable for the standard of their professional conduct. This accountability is a valuable asset both to Members and to those who hire or employ them.
If it appears that the Code has been breached, the CIPR’s Professional Practices Committee will investigate and either negotiate a settlement or adjudicate. Particularly serious or contentious cases are referred on to the Disciplinary Committee.
Outcomes
We resolve most Complaints through informal negotiation (‘Conciliation’).
Failing that, a decision will be imposed by the Professional Practices Committee or the Disciplinary Committee. This may be to censure the person you complained about, to expel them from the Institute, or to drop the case if it is found not proven.
If the committees decide that a CIPR Member has delivered substandard work to you, they may require the Member to return any fees you paid for that work. If the substandard work was part of a larger contract, the refund is limited to the value of that part of the contract. If you want further compensation, you will have to go to law: the CIPR does not impose damages.
Chartered Institute of Public Relations Code of Conduct
Principles
1. Members of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations agree to:
- Maintain the highest standards of professional endeavour, integrity, confidentiality, financial propriety and personal conduct;
- Deal honestly and fairly in business with employers, employees, clients, fellow professionals, other professions and the public;
- Respect the customs, practices and codes of clients, employers, colleagues, fellow professionals and other professions in all countries where they practise;
- Take all reasonable care to ensure employment best practice including giving no cause for Complaint of unfair discrimination on any grounds;
- Work within the legal and regulatory frameworks affecting the practice of public relations in all countries where they practise;
- Encourage professional training and development among Members of the profession;
- Respect and abide by this Code and related Notes of Guidance issued by the Institute of Public Relations and encourage others to do the same.
Principles of Good Practice
2. Fundamental to good public relations practice are:
Integrity
- Honest and responsible regard for the public interest;
- Checking the reliability and accuracy of information before dissemination;
- Never knowingly misleading clients, employers, employees, colleagues and fellow professionals about the nature of representation or what can be competently delivered and achieved;
- Supporting the CIPR Principles by bringing to the attention of the CIPR examples of malpractice and unprofessional conduct.
Competence
- Being aware of the limitations of professional competence: without limiting realistic scope for development, being willing to accept or delegate only that work for which practitioners are suitably skilled and experienced;
- Where appropriate, collaborating on projects to ensure the necessary skill base.
Transparency and avoiding conflicts of interest
- Disclosing to employers, clients or potential clients any financial interest in a supplier being recommended or engaged;
- Declaring conflicts of interest (or circumstances which may give rise to them) in writing to clients, potential clients and employers as soon as they arise;
- Ensuring that services provided are costed and accounted for in a manner that conforms to accepted business practice and ethics.
Confidentiality
- Safeguarding the confidences of present and former clients and employers;
- Being careful to avoid using confidential and ‘insider’ information to the disadvantage or prejudice of clients and employers, or to self-advantage of any kind;
- Not disclosing confidential information unless specific permission has been granted or the public interest is at stake or if required by law.
Maintaining professional standards
3. CIPR Members are encouraged to spread awareness and pride in the public relations profession where practicable by, for example:
- Identifying and closing professional skills gaps through the Institute’s Continuous Professional Development programme;
- Offering work experience to students interested in pursuing a career in public relations;
- Participating in the work of the Institute through the committee structure, special interest and vocational groups, training and networking events;
- Encouraging employees and colleagues to join and support the CIPR;
- Displaying the CIPR designatory letters on business stationery;
- Specifying a preference for CIPR applicants for staff positions advertised;
- Evaluating the practice of public relations through use of the CIPR Research & Evaluation Toolkit and other quality management and quality assurance systems (e.g. ISO standards); and constantly striving to improve the quality of business performance;
- Sharing information on good practice with Members and, equally, referring perceived examples of poor practice to the Institute.
FURTHER READING
Shannon A. Bowen, Ethics and Public Relations http://www.instituteforpr.org/essential_knowledge/detail/ethics_and_public_relations
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