pr lecture 4

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Lecture 4

Ethics & Professionalism


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What is Ethics?

• How we should live our lives • Code of behavior• What is right or wrong?


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Three common belief systems

• Absolutist– Every decision is either right or wrong regardless of the

consequences

• Existentialist– Decision is based on immediate practical choice

• Situationalist– What would cause the least harm or good– Often called the utilitarian approach


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Other value orientations

• Fairness or social justice• Virtue approach


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Public Relations professionals have the burden of making ethical decisions that satisfy:• The public interest• Their employer• Their professional organization’s code of ethics • Their personal values


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The ethical advocate

PR professional can ethically communicate at the same time he/she is serving as an advocate for an organization


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The role of professional organizations

• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) • International Association of Business

Communicators (IABC)


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PRSA

• www.prsa.org • Headquartered in New York City • 20,000 members, 116 chapters nation wide • Holds annual meeting • Publishes “Tactics,” “The Strategist”


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PRSA’s Code of Ethics

• Advocacy • Honesty • Expertise • Independence • Loyalty • Fairness • More www.prsa.org


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IABC

• International Association of Business Communicators

• 2nd largest organization • www.iabc.com • More than 13,000 members in 60 nations • Publish “Communication World”


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IPRA

• International Public Relations Association• Based in London • www.ipra.org • 1000 members in 96 nations • Primarily senior international public relations

executives • Major magazine, “Frontline”


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Professional Codes of Conduct

• IABC • Based on the principle that professional

communication is not only legal and ethical but in good taste and sensitive to cultural values and beliefs.

• Members are encouraged to be truthful, accurate, and fair in all of their communications


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PRSP

• Public Relations Society of the Philippines is the country’s premier organization for public relations professionals.

• Mission is to advance the practice of public relations by – (1) uniting those engaged in the profession;

– (2) encouraging continuing education of practitioners;

– (3) generating public confidence in the profession by promoting high ethical practice and encouraging high standards of public service;

– (4) playing the active role in all matters affecting the practice of public relations;

– (5) and strengthening the relationships of public relations professionals with various stakeholders.


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Codes for Specific Situations

• Video News Releases • Internet Public Relations • Corporate Practice


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Professionalism, Licensing and Accreditation

• Should practitioners be licensed? • Act like a professional in the field • Careerist values vs. professional values • Accreditation- • ABC-Accredited Business Communicator • APR-Accredited in Public Relations


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Ethics in Individual Practice

• To what extent, if any, will I compromise my personal beliefs?


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Ethical Dealings with The News Media

• Total honesty • Gifts- • Shades of gray in the news business • Journalists are third parties who are supposed to

be objective • Paid advocates