A recent newspaper column on the sentencing of Michael Vick points out a perception issue with the public relations industry. Michael Wilbon, in the Tuesday, December 11th issue of The Washington Post, states that “It’s fair to wonder now at what point Vick will take responsibility – and not in some phony public relations way.” Unfortunately, this reveals what seems to be continuing bias against public relations. Apparently, Wilbon travels in the world of PR “flacks”, “spin doctors” and PR stunts. It’s a world of unsavory and unethical public relations people willing to do anything to get their message across to an unsuspecting audience.
I know it’s not my world or any of my colleagues. We know that public relations is an honest profession and its practitioners are bound by ethical standards and practices. The majority of PR practitioners work ardently to adhere to these standards.
However, this ‘stigma’ against PR continues to rear its ugly head. Maybe the Public Relations Society of America needs to launch a communications campaign targeted at sports reporters with the goal of educating them about the public relations profession?
However, in all seriousness, do we think that the public at large, whoever they may be, still think that public relations people are “phony” or worse? Comments?
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