Ethics and Public Relations II

1. Ethics and Public Relations II Introduction to Public Relations School of Communication Studies James Madison University Dr. Michael Smilowitz

2. What to expect? • A very cursory description of a few of the major ethical systems discussed in an introductory to ethics course. • A discussion of the efforts of PR professional associations to influence the ethical practices of its practitioners through the implementation of a ethical code of conduct. • An explanation of my own personal code of conduct.

3. The study of ethics Because everyday life is fraught with difficult decisions between competing goals, ethics has been studied for over two thousand years.

4. Ethical Egoism • Epicurus defined the good life as the individual getting as much pleasure as possible. • “Don’t worry…be happy.” • Often called hedonism • Ignores social responsibility, promoting only the interests of the individual.

5. Absolutism • This approach holds that there are absolute standards that can be applied to every situation to judge whether conduct is right or wrong. • Cicero argued that there is no conflict between self-interests and moral conduct. • In doing the right thing, we strengthen the most valuable thing we have: our character. • A material gain, no matter how great, is never equal to the damage to our character, or to the damage to our world, that is done by a wrong deed.

6. Absolutism • Immanuel Kant regarded the choice to act morally rather than selfishly to be a “categorical imperative.” • “duty without exception” • “Act only on that maxim which you can will to become a universal law. • We should ask ourselves the question “What if everyone acted is this way.” If we can’t live with the answer, then the proposed conduct can not be universal and should not be done … no matter the consequence for ourselves.

7. Utilitarianism Utilitarianism holds that there is but one universal standard: Do the greatest good (or least harm) for the greatest number of people. In many ways, utilitarianism is extension of hedonism. The important fundamental difference is the requirement for individuals to be impartial as to their own happiness in favor of the happiness of the community.

8. Situational Ethics • This approach holds that there are no absolute standards that prescribe ethical conduct except for the responsibility to think rationally in every situation to determine the right course of action. • Situational ethics do not sanction “anything goes.” People are always responsible for their actions. • The premise of situational ethics is that moral conduct is determined by what is acceptable at a certain time among a certain people.

9. PR professionals need to have thought through these and other ethical philosophies. Only in an ideal world, is the pr professional only asked to say honest things, about wonderful organizations or products or ideas, to publics who are anxious to know all they can about everything there is to know.

10. PR professionals must constantly manage conflicting interest • 1. The needs of the client. • 2. The needs of the publics. • 3. The personal needs of the pr professional. • 4. The needs of the pr professional’s family, organizations, affiliations, etc.

11. Some professionals ascribe to a Code of Ethics • Physicians have codes. • Lawyers have codes. • Teachers have codes. • Trades have codes.

12. Both PRSA and IABC have Codes of Ethics • Along with its code, The Public Relations Society of America employs an accreditation process (candidates must have at least five years experience, two sponsors who attest to their integrity, and pass a one day written examination). • The International Association of Business Communicators has a similar code and accreditation process.

13. The association’s codes have not had much impact • Probably only 10% of practitioners are members of an association and only a third of the members have earned accreditation. • Violators of the code are only sanctioned at meetings or with a short blurb in the association’s newsletter, or if accredited, they may have their accreditation reviewed and revoked. • The codes are sufficiently vague that infractions are often not regarded as violations.

14. The association’s codes have not had much impact From the PRSA 2000 Guidelines A member shall: · Preserve the free flow of unprejudiced information when giving or receiving gifts by ensuring that gifts are nominal, legal, and infrequent. Examples of Improper Conduct Under this Provision: · A member representing a ski manufacturer gives a pair of expensive racing skis to a sports magazine columnist, to influence the columnist to write favorable articles about the product. · A member entertains a government official beyond legal limits and/or in violation of government reporting requirements. • Probably only 10% of practitioners are members of an association and only a third of the members have earned accreditation. • Violators of the code are only sanctioned at meetings or with a short blurb in the association’s newsletter, or if accredited, they may have their accreditation reviewed and revoked. • The codes are sufficiently vague that infractions are often not regarded as violations.

15. Ethical conduct depends ultimately on personal values and choice To assure that I sleep well at night, I hold steadfastly to the following principles. 1. Strive to be honest at all times. 2. Respect the integrity of my opponents, realizing there is worth to both their positions as well as my own. 3. Ensure opportunities for all sides of an issue to be presented.

16. Ethical conduct depends ultimately on personal values and choice 4. Realize that my work is to adjust ideas to people...not people to ideas, and I must carefully consider how much change I can undertake at one time, and admit to the client how much of that change is really worth doing. 5. Believe that what’s good for a client is good for a client’s publics, what is good for a client’s publics is good for the client. 6. Prepare to have less money than people who don’t share my values.