Are PR People supposed to lie?
By Editor on Mar 1, 2007 in ethics
There has been a discussion in the blogosphere on whether PR is the ‘lying’ profession. It started with Martin Moore reporting about a PRWeek sponsored debate that ‘PR has a duty to tell the truth’. Out of the over 260 PR executives, 138 voted against and 124 voted for the motion. In other words, 138 PR professionals present there didn’t think telling the truth always wasn’t necessary.
Max Clifford, who was arguing against the motion, talked about how his first duty was always to his client and that he had been ‘telling lies on behalf of my clients for 40 years’. He chose to lie in certain instances because the ‘price of telling that truth would be terribly destructive to lots of people’. He talked about how he had stopped newspapers exposing a footballer for being gay, because it would have ruined his career. How he had prevented the media revealing a very senior corporate couple were having an affair with the same woman for the same reason. According to Clifford, PR does not have a ‘duty’ to tell the truth it has a duty to serve its client.
One justification among other given by the panel was that journalists were to blame because journalists constantly sought out tension, discord and disruption. PR executives had to protect their clients from them and, when necessary, be economical with the truth / lie.
The discussion was picked up by Strumpette , BuzzMachine, and StriveNotes.
I wonder how many of us PR professionals in India agree with that we need to lie. Or can we do with speaking the truth only and keeping mum on those that we feel uncomfortable about? What are the various instances when we are provoked to lie, if at all?
Is there nothing as the absolute truth, and the presentation is what that matters? Media stories can be tilted to favour any company or the journalist’s view even though they are talking about facts only. Market survey questionnaires can be created to elicit responses in one’s favour. Advertising agencies can create TV commercials highlighting their clients’ positive points, while ignoring the weak ones.
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On Mar 2, 2007, DocSin said:
Whose truth?
On Mar 2, 2007, SK said:
lawyers lie for their clients. how do they justify that?
On Mar 3, 2007, Anonymous said:
Lying is bad but the practice is everywhere – politics, marketing, glamour, We lie to our loved ones sometimes. There is nothing new to discuss.
On Mar 3, 2007, hobbithob said:
are we admitting to something?
On Mar 4, 2007, Positive O said:
As PR practitioners, we do play damage control. Unfortunately, lying is the product of protecting someone’s reputation.
Research your client’s past history and opportunities. That’s a part of obtaining new business, and you can say, “Not interested. There’s too much at stake.” Then again, some PR thrive off of this venture.
On Mar 5, 2007, bella said:
Hey HH,
I think we don’t lie, but just don’t tell the whole story or the part our client is not comfortable wid.
But then wat professionals don’t lie?
And as long as ur not damaging anyone’s interest i think its ok to hide things.
Cheers!
Bella
On Mar 6, 2007, hobbithob said:
hi positve o and bella, thanks for your comments. some good feedbacks….
On Mar 7, 2007, Rajiv said:
Today, everyone is so confused about ethics because of the commercial interests. Ethics can be best understood as the interplay between ethical values and interests. The lack of consideration of interests has similarly confused our understanding of ethics. The concern with ethics has been couched not in these terms but in terms of the contradiction between the democratic function in media and their control by commercial interests.
As Bella said, hiding things are ok. Maybe it is ethical to hide, maybe it is not. IT should be left to the situation, like the Gay Footballer, in that position, yes of course it was ethical, but hiding facts like this drug cures depression (and where research shows otherwise, is not ethical) or smoking doesn’t Kill, (when research shows it does, is not ethical) which many PR practitioners have done in the past.
Hiding things, keeping the best interest of public in mind or for doing a greater good can be acceptable. One has to judge its own ethics, keeping in mind that what damage it can do the profession (which is damage to your own self as well in the long run).
Rajiv Harjai
http://www.indianpr.wordpress.com
(Student PR Blog)
On Mar 10, 2007, Sherrilynne Starkie said:
Serving your clients well doesn’t mean you have to lie. Just choose how to tell the story. This is the art of PR.
On Mar 13, 2007, BD said:
Hey HH,
I think ethics are a very subjective issue. what is ethical to one person may not be ethical to another. Unless the whole situation is known, we simply cant pass a judgement. However, a person should do as his/her conscious permits, else you’ll have to feel guilty all your life.
BD