MEDIA ACCESS AND ETHICS


The second issue, which includes media access as well as access to the media, provides us with just as much to consider as the issue of honesty or lack thereof.

It seems clear to most of us who have experience in dealing with the media that the media believe that they have a certain inalienable right to access to information and sources. Often, however, the needs of organizations and individuals within those organizations conflict with those so-called rights. Running into a brick wall can initiate a host of media behaviours that run the gamut from simple rudeness to more aggressive attempts to secure the information. These kinds of behaviours on the part of reporters contribute to the mistrust in the relationship between PR and the media.

Perhaps even more problematic from our point of view in trying to practise our profession ethically is the question of gaining access to the media. Whereas we all recognize that bribing the media to cover a story is not only unwise but completely unethical, where do you draw the line?

Consider the following case. A former, local university president was well known for many seasons for his annual media Christmas parties. For years he threw open the doors to the presidential mansion and f ted the local media ”no special treatment for any specific reporters or outlets, mind you. Rather than limiting it to those reporters who had provided positive coverage of the university's activities over the year, everyone was invited to the open house. Indeed, even reporters who would blanch at the thought of taking an incentive from a source looked forward to the event.

Was this a terrifically creative public relations strategy (one which was not attempted by any of the other local universities), or a questionable ethical practice? Was this a case of subtle bribery, or an honest attempt to develop a stronger relationship between an organization and one of its important publics? Whereas there are no specific guidelines about what size a ˜gift must be to constitute bribery, or even if an invitation to a party qualifies as a ˜gift , there is always a need not only to behave in an ethical way, but also to be perceived to be doing so. The first step, however, is simply to be aware that there is a potential moral issue here. And that is one more step than most PR professionals might take in this situation.




Ethics in Public Relations. A Guide to Best Practice
Ethics in Public Relations: A Guide to Best Practice (PR in Practice)
ISBN: 074945332X
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 165

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