Public Relations and Ethics

Public Relations: Image PR Stunt PR Ploy PR Exercise Spin doctors PR is organized lying PR ethics – an oxymoron

Why? Too little authority PR Association Codes: Don’t speak specifically enough to particular situations Have very little disciplinary “tooth”

What is ethics? “standards of conduct that indicate how one should behave based on moral duties and virtues” Acting to cause minimal harm Rooted in both personal conscience and social norms of right behaviour Thus rooted in culture Thus cultural variation in what’s considered ‘right behaviour’

Three Broad Approaches Utilitarian Advocacy Situational

Value of Public Relations: 4 Levels Particular PR programme PR function Organizational effectiveness Societal level Value of ethical practice: ethical communication increases PR value to organization by sustaining good, long-term relationships with publics

Value ctd Image of organisations dependent on ‘personality’ not just goods + services PR as ‘internal conscience’ PR focus on long-term sustainability of organizations PR: facilitator of social responsibility + corporate citizenship

How PR helps organizations Exchanging information with publics Distribution of information internally + externally – understanding of policy; problem sloving Facilitating dialogue, maintaining relationships Communicating across levels on public policy, activism, social norms + values Contributing to public interest + social good News source: defining issues, advancing causes

PR Codes of Ethics: Core Values Advocacy Honesty Expertise Independence Loyalty Fairness

Approaches to PR Ethics Adversary Model Two-way Communication Model Enlightened self-interest Model Responsible Advocate Model

Ethics, PR and ‘Green Issues’ Increasingly topical Powerful marketing, PR tool Increasing number and range of environmental claims Accuracy of claims? Example: Goodyear Tires, Australia