Is PR Inherently Unethical?

Jennifer Milikien raises the question at PROpenMic, Is PR Inherently Unethical?

The discussion revolves around “a commentary on “CBS Sunday Morning” by legal analyst Andrew Cohen in which he challenged the integrity of the public relations profession.” Source: PR Tactics and The Strategist Online.

It has spilled over to the CBS Web site, too. The issue has, as of this writing, generated 14 pages of comments. The Flak Over Flacks, In The Wake Of Scott McClellan’s New Book, Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen Says PR People Are Aghast At The Truth – CBS News. PR practitioners are coming out in droves for this one.

K.D. Paine takes Cohen to task quite well.

Having been both a journalist and a reporter, I”ve found equal amounts of ethics in both fields. Do the words Jayson Blair ring a bell. Does the fact that there are 459,000 entries in Google for “Lying Journalist” mean that I should now assume that all reporters are liars. Of course not. I have stacks of stories, research and statistics that show that when the PR people try to stand up for the truth and for being transparent, its the lawyers that get in the way. All too frequently my PR colleagues are trying to do the right thing, but are unable to because of the chief counsel or the CEO.

Are you suggesting that the good people at CBS who put out all those press releases touting new shows or new staff are in fact lying? That we shouldn”t believe them when they state its a hit? I”m happy to do that, since with idiots like you on the air, I certainly won”t be watching CBS in the future.

Posted by kdpaine (On the CBS Web site. Note: I’m pretty sure Paine meant to write “Having been both a journalist and PR practitioner.”

A part of my take: You know, I see this latest example of PR bashing (from a news network that feeds off of media relations) to be just another in a long line of foolish, ignorant (and a bit arrogant) people. Even funnier, regarding this happening on CBS – of all places, it was their network that recently wanted to farm out some of their coverage to CNN and not do it themselves. Plus, their network has had many recent highly publicized problems with failing to get the facts straight. Cohen is just one more example. Read more …

Update: There is even video of it from CBS.com. Yes, they allow you embed it … but, only with their commercials. Still old school, CBS. ~sigh~ Seeing it again just brought more disappointment. Cohen ends with saying, “That’s the truth.” No, Andrew, it is not. Bless your heart, you pitiful boy, I fear you’re a lost ball in high weeds.

Should Gerber Open A School of PR? Baby Faces Often Work Best

Colleague and friend Debra Worthington, at Auburn University, shared this recent article from Science Daily’s News section. Researchers Gerald J. Gorn, Yuwei Jiang (both at Hong Kong University) and Gita V. Johar (Columbia University) pose an interesting bit of what seems to be, in some instances, common sense.

Saving Face With A Baby-face? Shape Of CEO’s Face Affects Public Perception

ScienceDaily (2008-05-30) — When a corporation has a public relations crisis, the news media splash photos of the company’s CEO around the world. According to new research the shape of the CEO’s face evokes judgments about the person and the situation.

If nothing else, this is a great conversation starter.