What Ethics Apply in Public Relations Management

Professional Codes of Ethics

Introduction

Ethics are essential to all fields and especially to the fields of journalism and public relations. For this reason, many professional organizations provide their own codes of ethics. This paper compares and contrasts the codes of ethics of two organizations in particular, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). This paper also provides a set of guidelines for ethical communication in the digital age in order to emphasize the value of conforming to ethical principles.

The SPJ and PRSA

The SPJ and the PRSA are both professional organizations that focus on communicating information to the public in the fields of journalism and public relations respectively. In terms of ethics codes, common themes, guidelines, and the reason for their codes, some ideas can be found that they share, and in other ways they are unique.

Professional Codes of Ethics

Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)

The code of ethics of the SPJ provides an ethical guide for journalists reporting on the news and other information to the general public. The code promotes the free practice of journalism and places a high value on truth, accuracy, fairness, impartiality, and other ethical considerations. For instance, the very first and core principle espoused by SPJ is “Seek Truth and Report It” (SPJ, 2023). This means that the journalist should above all devote himself to revealing the truth of things to the wider public. The guidelines that follow indicate how this should be done—i.e., by giving context, taking responsibility for the accuracy of a report, identifying sources, being vigilant, and so on. The full SPJ Code of Ethics can be found at SPJ Code of Ethics.

Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

The PRSA Code of Ethics elucidates on the principles and guidelines that it believes should ensure the integrity, credibility, and trustworthiness needed in the public relations profession. The code should help PR professionals to serve the public interest honestly so as to improve PR professionals’ own body of knowledge, protect the free flow of information, and maintain a transparent and accessible line of conduct. For example, the PRSA (2023) states,

We serve the public interest by acting as responsible advocates for those we represent. We provide a voice in the marketplace of ideas, facts, and viewpoints to aid informed public debate.” This means that PR professionals have to realize and respect the fact that they are gatekeepers of information and therefore must act responsibly in terms of how information is handled and presented. The full PRSA Code of Ethics can be found at PRSA Code of Ethics.

Common Themes

The SPJ and PRSA codes each stress the importance of truth, accuracy, fairness, respect for the rights of others, accountability, and other common values associated with journalistic integrity and transparent public relations. One area of focus is on digital communications because in the 21st century, digital communications via social media (like Twitter) has essentially changed the game in terms of how information is disseminated. With social media, news can spread like wildfire, and this can present challenges for both journalists and public relations managers. The speed and access associated with information on social media means that there is a high potential for misunderstandings, misrepresentations, and ethical lapses when it comes to reporting on news or managing PR (Livingstone & Brake, 2010). In this high-stakes field of instant access to news stories, one has to be very committed to ethics to make sure one is not violating the organization’s code out of fear, anxiety, or desire for fame.

Ethical Guidelines

The ethical guidelines for digital and mediated communication that can be recommended based on the common themes found in the comparison of the two codes include the following points:

Truth and Accuracy

Truth and accuracy are fundamental to journalism and public relations. Information can spread quickly all over the world, which means journalists and PR managers have a duty to make sure that information is accurate and truthful. Lies can literally cost people their careers, their savings, and even their lives. Thus, adhering to the principle of truth and accuracy is an ethical requirement that serves to protect society at large and to protect the integrity of the respective fields of journalism and public relations.

Fairness and Impartiality

The principles of fairness and impartiality help to protect professionals who are ethically bound to provide a balanced view of events, news, issues, and other important stories (Hasanudin, 2023). It means they must not demonstrate bias, even if they personally prefer one side to another in any situation.

Respect for the Rights of Others

Respecting the rights of others in terms of privacy and confidentiality is a cornerstone of ethics in public communication. Any invasion of privacy or breach of confidentiality is ethically unacceptable. Thus, it must be stated that respecting the rights of others is essential in any code of ethics in the fields of journalism and public relations.

Accountability

Accountability is also a must: it is about taking responsibility for one's actions and decisions in all digital and mediated content that is communicated to the public. Being accountable helps to promote honesty, transparency, integrity, and trustworthiness; it builds favor with the public, and is vital for any professional engaged in communication.

Justification

Each guideline above serves a vital purpose. The guideline of truth and accuracy promotes trust among the public. Professionals who adhere to this guideline would not only uphold their professional integrity but also contribute to building public trust in journalism. Likewise, the guideline for fairness and impartiality would help to prevent bias. For instance, a PR professional should be mindful to represent all facets of a client's perspective, not just those that are convenient or agreeable. Impartiality should always be the key. As for the guideline of respecting the rights of others, this is a principle that upholds the dignity of individuals. Journalists must respect the privacy rights of all people by not publishing unverified or private information that could harm a person's reputation. In other words, no journalist should ever engage in “doxing,” or unfair disclosure (Fisher, 2015). Finally, the guideline of accountability helps to establish responsibility and transparency. If a PR professional releases an incorrect statement, it should be corrected immediately and publicly, acknowledging the error. This would show professional responsibility and commitment to truth.