Pressing Ethical issues facing Public Relations Practitioners
Like all professions and professional practise, Media and Communications have codes of ethics that need to be sustained when practising — within this article I will place specific focus on Public Relations and the pressing issues PR practitioners are facing. I will also explore whether there are any pressing ethical issues facing PR practitioners specifically surrounding key areas of enterprise, working conditions, innovation and creativity. When looking at pressing ethical issues we need to clearly understand the difference, as the communication industry is constantly changing.
Ethics can be understood as a moral compass as well as your own moral integrity, how you behave and the way you act within a working environment. Like most working environments within the communication industry, we have to consider these elements as PR practitioners most often work within a team environment, and the way we express ourselves and views can also have a strong influence on our colleagues and public. The importance of remaining professional, credible and transparent throughout your career can diminish consequences caused if you do not act in an ethical manner.
Ethical issues are issue that arise within a working environment, where an individual within an organisation or workplace has to make a decision whether there is an ethical issue (right or wrong) and how the public and stakeholders will respond. As an emerging PR practitioner it is also imperative to remember that professionalism and credibility is the key to ensuring that the public trusts you, and the organisation you are representing, if the public loses trust in you, your morality is also questioned.
Different industries including communication have varying degrees of ethic codes, but specifically for Public Relations within Australia ethics is describes as, by (PRIA — Public Relations Institute of Australia 2009, article 1), as a requirement that ‘members adhere to the highest standards of ethical practice and professional competence. All members are duty — bound to act responsibly and to be accountable for their actions’. Meaning that ultimately responsibility and accountability needs to be taken for all actions whether this is discrimination or viewpoints.
The (PRIA — Public Relations Institute of Australia 2009, article 1) have stipulated fifteen codes that they believe PR practitioners need to uphold within the workplace, irrespective of the level of the organisation. The codes that are most relevant to discuss are related to enterprise, working conditions, innovation and creativity within the workplace as well as protecting your own intellectual property. Although there are codes in place, there will always be external ethical risks that can hinder success, as codes are not always followed. As well as different sectors coming together that may not adhere to the same values, this could take just one person to ruin an organisation or group’s reputation, the common denominator of each code relates back to integrity and honesty.
It is suggested by Powe (2009) that entrepreneurs look at the majority of situations as opportunities; they see the value of creative ideas and are always challenging themselves. There is less concern regarding what they cannot achieve rather they aim to see what can they achieve and ask ‘how do I go to the end point?’ Their ability to look at a market and analyse shows the depth of their desire to succeed. Your own moral principles as well as guidelines protect not just you, but also the organisation. To be successful you have to ensure that you are guided and respecting others and their views.
Enterprise refers to any business adventure that is essentially daring, something that shows an instance of trust within them and includes a slight risks with its success, or sometimes failures. Within PR, any risk involves ethical questions, whether this is a risk you are taking alone, or within the organisation such as starting your own PR agency or communicating ideas and looking at things your competitors are not doing.
The constant evolution of technology places elements of restrictions on one’s creativity; it can be looked at both ways — both positively and negatively. Individuals working within the communications industry whether this is journalism, advertising or PR have to keep up to date with new technology as suggested by Deuze (2009 p. 31) ‘new technologies force people to learn new skills and unlearn old ones, while the work process accelerates at the same time’. But when you are in a position where you want to create your vision and express your view, is it imperative that you maintain your vision and adapt to these new technologies that are constantly evolving. This is particularly evident when working within the media industry as we rarely work in a solo capacity, we not only work within teams of the same sector, and we often liaise with other organisation or departments. PR practitioners need to convey their thoughts and discuss in a professional manner as working towards new ideas or working through problems — ensuring the main focus is remained and the end goal is achieved, and evolving technologies knowledge is kept up-to-date.
Innovation has elements that need to be understood to ensure that one’s idea can result in success, this is what sets innovation apart from creativity. It is more so the action rather than just the idea. There are many elements that need to be assessed at the beginning as suggested by Powe (2009) such as current trends, technology, globalisation, economics and politics. Therefore, the ethical influence of these is that you need to ensure that your idea is unique, and that you are adhering to all codes and regulations. With PR, communicating the correct messages that is unbiased ensures that your reputation remains in tact and you can support your colleagues and clients.
Ethical issues that have the potential to arise with working conditions is that we, as communicators can never leave the office. We are glued to our phones, information is immediate and we essentially have everything we need in the palm of our hand. It is suggested by Deuze (2009) there is very little work / life balance which can result in exhaustion or overworking, with this, where do companies draw the line? What is ethically right or wrong, and what is the solution to this. PR practitioners are expected to work 35–40 hours per week, and overtime is becoming a frequent expectation, particularly during crisis management as well as with such tight deadlines. During challenging times such as a crisis, PR practitioners need to ensure that they are completely transparent with their stakeholders so you as an individual as well as an organisation’s representative remains credible.
As each country have varying codes of ethics, it is important to understand the codes that best support your profession within your country. The moral and ethical stipulations are similar globally and the ultimate key to success is to always remain credible, accountable and professional as we continue to work within a constantly evolving industry. However, this can change depending on the political stance within the country you are working in for example China or the United Kingdom — China does not allow freedom of speech and your views within the media industry are censored, where as the United Kingdom does allow freedom of speech. Wherever you work, you must respect the local laws and remain appropriate, this contributes to your professionalism and credibility as a communicator.
Ethical issues arise when morals are challenged, yes, we all have different viewpoints on what we believe to be right or wrong, but when you are working within a team environment, an entrepreneur, representing an organisation or even working as a freelance communicator you will always face challenges, particularly ethical issues. It is imperative that you understand your client, organisation and public to be a successful PR practitioner — this also includes respecting the team you are working in, as it is important to remain credible. As Makau (2009) discusses it is important to remain professional and ethically driven, which will reduce the threat of unethical communication as the choices you make, whether right or wrong have consequences and you as the communicator are solely responsible for your actions and views.
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