As part of an end-of-semester wrap-up in my CM301 class, my professor has asked us four questions about our experiences in PR this semester.
1) What was the most favorable surprise you had, this semester, about the field of public relations?
I was very pleased to learn about the upward mobility in large PR firms. At least the way firm-structure was presented to the class, advancement for an entry level employee in a large firm directly correlates to how much he or she works and how many billable hours he or she logs. When I am breaking into the professional field of PR in a few years, my life will be flexible. I will be able to—and I will want to—work a large number of hours for my clients. At the PRSSA Advanced Conference, Gary Sheffer, executive director of corporate communication for GE, spoke about how some large firms and large corporations will hire several young recruits with the intention of keeping only one or two after the first year and a half. That says to me if I work hard enough and produce enough, I will be appreciated and eventually promoted. I like the idea of being in control of my career to at least that degree. Learning about this aspect of PR firms excited me about my future.
2) What was the most unfavorable surprise you had, this semester, about the field of public relations?
The cultural differences in ethical expectations for media relations were unsettling to me. Studying the ethics of PR, I learned journalists in the Middle East almost never write a favorable story without payment or gifts from a public relations practitioner. In other cultures, the ethical lines are blurred. In America, Dr. Wright said at times PR professionals fear buying a journalist so much as a hotdog because they don’t want to be accused of bribery. At other times, our text book says, some advertising purchases in publications are accompanied by an understanding that a favorable article will be written about the advertised product. The biggest unfavorable surprise came to me upon realizing as the world shrinks and becomes more interconnected, inter-cultural media relations will be very confusing in terms of who owes what to whom in exchange for press coverage. This confusion is one of the main reasons why I would prefer, if possible, to work in the private sector exclusively on the domestic front. So while it was unsettling to me, it also helped me narrow down what type of PR I would like.
3) Why is public relations the art, science and business of manipulating of audiences–and is therefore unethical?
Public relations by nature is unethical because it is conducted by advocates who are paid to represent a corporation, government or organization. Regardless of how they try to persuade an audience into changing attitudes and behaviors, the sheer fact that they are being paid to do so makes the information they present unbalanced and slanted. They portray their client in a positive light because they are hired to. It does not matter whether or not that positive light is deserved, because since PR practitioners have monetary incentives to convince audiences, their words cannot be entirely honest. They are not expressing neutral unbiased opinions; therefore they are consciously manipulating audiences. They are intervening on the naturally formed attitudes that would not otherwise change. Honesty is ethical, but public relations will never be truly honest because it presents biased information to the publics.
4) Why is public relations more than the art, science and business of manipulation of audiences–and is therefore ethical?
Public relations serves a higher purpose, making it more than the art, science and business of manipulation. There may be a science to delivering messages and an art to crafting the perfect press release, and some people could say aiming to change audience behavior is manipulating. Those people would only be looking at the tactical elements of PR, failing to grasp the overarching concept. Public relations fosters communication and establishes meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships. Connecting people with those whom they can help and who can help them is an ethical act. There are a lot of regulations practitioners need to follow in order to keep their methods as ethical as their ends. Provided PR is executed in an ethical manner, its higher purpose will be fulfilled.
