Ethics in Public Relations
April 1, 2009A code of ethics is a cornerstone for any profession. Codes can serve different purposes for different fields, but the standout idea in my mind is to define ethical behaviour within a particular field or profession. Many of us no doubt would like to believe that we know the difference between right and wrong, but to have it set in stone creates guidelines across the board for all practitioners. The challenge with ethics in the public relations field is that they aren’t exactly set in stone, considering that multiple industry bodies have their own code.
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) posted a Comparison of Selected PR Ethics Codes that illustrates how variant codes of ethics within the industry can be. The following codes are considered in the comparison:
- Arthur Page Society
- Council of Public Relations Firms
- Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management
- International Association of Business Communicators
- National Investor Relations Institute
- Public Relations Society of America
Out of the thirteen topics addressed in the codes, only honesty, advocacy/expertise, and enhancing the profession were covered by all six industry bodies. This just goes to show that there are a variety of issues impacting ethical behaviour in the field of PR and that different bodies prioritise some over others.
As the profession evolves, so must our code. With the rise of new media, the PR industry is entering into a territory that original codes could not have anticipated. The “rules” of new media haven’t even been fully defined yet, much less how PR specifically should operate. However, in respect to new media and any other form of communication, I believe it is crucial to have a clearly defined code of ethics if only for a frame of reference so that industry standards are set and practitioners can subsequently be held to such standards.
A well-known practitioner whose ethics have recently come into question in the media spotlight is Max Clifford. Jade’s story was splashed all over the media in the months leading up to her death, and Max Clifford was openly behind it. One side of the argument is that Jade consented to the campaign so she could raise money to support her sons after her death. The consent in this case makes it ethical. The other argument, and one that is a little more blurred in my point of view is that her condition was being exploited for profit. Clifford even said in an interview with the Guardian (see below) that the campaign was a “wonderful for me to make an awful lot of money out of the media thats making an awful lot of money out of her.” Profiting from death is a hard concept to grasp from an ethical point of view.
Ultimately, it is these grey areas of ethics as applied to public relations that the industry must continue to address. This will strengthen the reputation of the profession and the integrity of practitioners. A profession concerned with managing reputations could really benefit from a boost to its own.
