![]() An unfortunate belief among many journalists, policy makers, and laymen is the belief that the term ‘public relations ethics’ is an oxymoron: either an unreal possibility, or smoke and mirrors to hide deception. Many critics argue that there can be no ethical public relations because the practice itself is akin to manipulation and propaganda. Is There Such a Thing as Public Relations Ethics?Ĭurrent research supports a historical trend of associating public relations with all things unethical – lying, spin-doctoring, and even espionage. This definition of public relations ethics goes far beyond the olden days of “flacking for space” or spinning some persuasive message, but this view is not shared by everyone. In the public relations discipline, ethics includes values such as honesty, openness, loyalty, fair-mindedness, respect, integrity, and forthright communication. Definitions of ethics normally have in common the elements of requiring some form of systematic analysis, distinguishing right from wrong, and determining the nature of what should be valued. ![]() The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy explains: “The field of ethics, also called moral philosophy, involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior” ( ). Finally, practical guidelines for dealing with ethics will be offered, followed by an annotated bibliography with suggestions for further reading. Recommendations for public relations practitioners are made, including topics such as gaining access to an organization’s top decision makers, promotion to an ethical counselor role, on-the-job ethics training or ethics study, and approaches to ethical analyses. Implications for practitioners are discussed, including the research showing that a strong sense of ethics and of how to arrive at ethical decisions can enhance the career prospects of public relations professionals. Definitions will be provided and key areas of evolution and debate within the field will be addressed. ![]() I review the evolution of public relations ethics, the current state of practice, and the thoughts of ethicists. The central purpose of this article is to provide an overview of ethics in public relations. ![]()
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