1. Introduction to Public Relations COMM 106 Fall 2013 Chapters 6 & 7 (Ethics and The Law) Instructor: Tara Rummell Berson Portions Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall, Portions (c) 2011 Tara R. Berson 1

2. It’s all about credibility. The practice of public relations is all about earning credibility. The practice of public relations is all about earning credibility. Credibility begins with telling the truth. Credibility begins with telling the truth. Public relations must be based on doing the right thing, or acting ethically. Public relations must be based on doing the right thing, or acting ethically. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall6-2

3. What exactly are ethics? Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall6-3 Great thinkers have struggled for years to answer this question. Here is one definition: “Ethics are standards of conduct that indicate how one should behave based on moral duties and virtues.”

4. Another definition of ethics “Ethics refers to the values that guide a person, organization, or society — the difference between right and wrong, fairness and unfairness, honesty and dishonesty.” An individual’s or organization’s ethics come down to the standards we follow in our relationships with others. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall6-4

5. Two classical approaches to ethics Utilitarianism: considering the greater good rather than individual desires. The Golden Mean of Moral Virtue: seeking the middle-ground between two extreme points of view. Judeo-Christian Ethic: loving your neighbor as you would love yourself. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall6-5

6. Ethics in business: an oxymoron? In the wake of corporate meltdowns, scandals and CEO resignations, confidence in business has plummeted. American business is under heavier scrutiny than ever before. To reverse negative public opinion, many companies have attempted to become more transparent in their activities. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall6-6

7. Corporate codes of conduct These are formal statements of the values and business practices of a corporation. They have been developed to: ◦ Increase public confidence ◦ Stem the tide of regulation ◦ Improve internal operations ◦ Respond to transgressions Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall6-7

8. Corporate social responsibility All social institutions are responsible for the behavior of their members. Members can be held accountable for misdeeds. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall6-8

9. Ethics in public relations Ethics should be the great differentiator between public relations and other professions. Public relations practitioners must emulate the highest standards of personal and professional ethics. Public relations practitioners must always counsel their organizations and clients in an ethical direction. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall6-9

10. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ETHICS The PRSA Code of Ethics specifies six core values: The essence of the code is that honesty and fairness lie at the heart of the public relations practice. AdvocacyHonestyExpertiseIndependenceLoyaltyFairness Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6- 10

11. Find out more for yourself… Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/Ethics/ www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/Ethics/ International Association of Business Communicators (IABC): www.iabc.com/about/code.htm www.iabc.com/about/code.htm Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6- 11

12. Bridging the connection between ethics and the law Ethics tell us what we should do, while the law tells what we must do. Lawyers correctly advise clients on what they must legally do to defend themselves in the court of law. Public relations advisers counsel clients on what they should do to defend themselves in the court of public opinion. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6- 12

13. Public Relations and the First Amendment Defending the First Amendment is a front-line responsibility for public relations Freedom of the Internet is tricky First Amendment and spam—what does it mean for unsolicited PR pitches? First Amendment and spam—what does it mean for unsolicited PR pitches? Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6- 13

14. Areas of legal concern for PR practitioners: Defamation law Insider trading Disclosure law Ethics law Copyright law and fair use Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6- 14

15. Ethics & The Law Let’s Play: Test Your Workplace Ethics! Let’s Play: Test Your Workplace Ethics! Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6- 15