978-0205960644 Chapter 3

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CHAPTER 3: ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM

OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter the student should be able to:

1. Understand the role of the ethical advocate.

3. Be familiar with the progress being made toward professionalism.

5. Be ethical when working with the media.

SUGGESTED PROJECTS AND DISCUSSION

The chapter on ethics and professional standards is designed to give students a solid base

for implementing public relations activities. This chapter is deliberately placed in the text so

students have an ethical context before they learn the basic strategies and tactics of public

relations work. A spirited discussion can be generated if the instructor uses the chapter to

challenge students to consider the ethical course of action in specific situations. Nearly half

of American university communication programs have stand-alone courses in ethics.

1. The instructor should systematically go through the new PRSA Member Code of

Ethics with the class to assure that students understand key aspects and what they

2. Invite the PRSA ethics officer for the local chapter to speak to the class. Ask the

3. Have students search various websites for organizational codes of conduct. Lead a

4. Conduct a class discussion about organizational codes of ethics/conduct in general.

Then ask students to get into small groups in order to develop a student code of

5. Part of the discussion about “craftsmen” vs. “philosophers” is whether students

would feel comfortable doing public relations work for specific causes and

organizations. A lively discussion often is generated when the instructor asks

students if they would take a public relations job with the following:

A. a manufacturer of cigarettes

6. A number of ethical dilemmas are posed in the text, but here are some additional

ones that can be discussed in class or assigned as a short paper. The following

dilemmas should be discussed within the framework of the PRSA code of ethics.

A. The president of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange dies of

lung cancer, but the board of directors decides not to announce his death

until it is determined who will succeed him and how top management will

B. An old hotel, once the premier one in town, is being extensively renovated

and plans to open in two months under new ownership. The hotel owners

engage your public relations firm to handle the opening and also to begin a

campaign to position the hotel as the “in” place in town. The hotel owners

suggest that a “bandwagon” approach might be taken by writing news

addition, dinner reservations are heavy at the new French restaurant boasting

a famous chef. This kind of publicity and press coverage will create the idea,

however, that the hotel is a premier property whose success is already

guaranteed. In reality, the hotel has very few room reservations and the

several Hollywood stars will be present only because the suites are being

offered free in exchange for their appearance As for the French restaurant,

the background of the “famous” chef has been somewhat exaggerated, and

there is no public demand for reservations at the present time. Should the

public relations firm implement the hotel owner’s ideas? Why, or why not?

C. A retail department store chain has closed 14 stores and lost $38 million last

year. Since this is the bad news, the company president suggests that a news

release be written that emphasizes optimism and the projected future

D. A public relations firm has been hired to do the product publicity on a new

software program, Mathematica, for a Chicago company. There are few

details available about this software program, so the news release writer fills

Are there any ethical dilemmas posed by the use of such generalized phrases in product

news releases?

7. Break the class into groups, where each group represents a key public in a tourist

city. One group is the local Convention and Visitors Bureau or Chamber of

CASE ACTIVITY: ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN THE WORKPLACE

Student should analyze the three ethical situations by considering basic value orientations

(absolute, existential, and situational) as well as personal beliefs and professional standards

of the public relations industry.

The ethical question raised in this situation is whether or not to use exaggerated claims and

false information to help promote a new energy drink. Depending on personal beliefs,

students may have different responses to this situation; however, it is important to note that

professional standards would suggest that commendable practice in public relations is

honest at all times by adhering to the standards of accuracy and truth and therefore, it

would be unethical to communicate false information in a news release.

• The ethical question raised in this situation is “pay for play”, meaning that you

are giving up something of value (usually money) in exchange for media

coverage. With this situation, students need to consider that a major selling point

in public relations work is third-party credibility or endorsement of reporters

and editor and that public relations can lose public trust if it is assumed the

media can be “bought” by PR practitioners. News material and coverage should

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND DISCUSSION

1. Can a public relations person be an advocate for a cause and still be ethical? What

is the concept of role differentiation?

2. What role do professional organizations play in setting the standards of public

relations practice?

3. Describe, in general, the activities of PRSA, IABC, and IPRA.

(pgs. 73-76)

PRSA: Professional development programs that include courses, seminars, teleconferences,

and webcasts; website; annual meeting; professional publications; awards program for

Society).

IABC: Seminars and workshops to “provide lifelong learning”; annual meeting; awards

program for excellence in business communication; website; two professional publications;

student chapters.

IPRA: regional and international conferences for senior-level executives in public

relations; website and online publication; awards program; and campaigning for the

industry.

4. A number of professional groups have codes of ethics. What are some common

characteristics of these codes?

5. How should companies respond to critical consumer reviews on sites such as

YELP or TripAdvisor?

6. What ethical rules apply to Internet public relations and participation in social

networking sites?

7. Is public relations a profession? Why or why not?

8. In what ways do the concept of “careerism” and “technician mentality” undermine

the establishment of public relations as a profession?

9. What is the accreditation process in public relations? What is involved?

Would you aspire to be accredited? Why or why not?

10. What is the difference between certification and accreditation? Would an industry–

wide certification program be better than accreditation offered by various

organizations such as PRSA?

11. What is a “front group”? Do you think they are unethical? Why or why not?

12. Should public relations personnel give gifts to journalists? Why or why not?

13. What is the concept of “pay for play”? Who’s more ethical: the public relations

person who offers the cash, or the journalist who accepts it?

14. Some celebrities on television programs such as the Today Show. Should they also

disclose what company or organization is paying them to appear? Why or why not?