Ethics and Ethics and regulation in public regulation in public

relationsrelationsDr. Kaja TampereDr. Kaja Tampere

Historical reasonsHistorical reasonsPublic relations developments through centuryPublic relations developments through century

Professionalization and principles for practicesProfessionalization and principles for practicesReasons why ethics in PR field is very importantReasons why ethics in PR field is very important

PR officers responsibilityPR officers responsibility

Public Relations and Propaganda – friends, Public Relations and Propaganda – friends, brothers or enemies?brothers or enemies?

Role of journalism studies in public relations Role of journalism studies in public relations actionaction

Paradigmatic changes in PR field due 20Paradigmatic changes in PR field due 20thth centurycentury

Excellence theory as a Excellence theory as a fundament for PR fundament for PR

activitiesactivitiesGrunig’s concept about worldview: conflict Grunig’s concept about worldview: conflict between symmetrical and asymmetrical between symmetrical and asymmetrical worldviewworldview

The asymmetrical is an egocentric (self-oriented) The asymmetrical is an egocentric (self-oriented) perspective that produces asymmetrical perspective that produces asymmetrical communicationcommunication

organizations with a symmetrical worldview view organizations with a symmetrical worldview view communication as interactive behavior in which communication as interactive behavior in which two or more people (or systems) collaborate in two or more people (or systems) collaborate in constructing cognition and attitudes so that they constructing cognition and attitudes so that they behave in ways either “synergistic or symbiotic”behave in ways either “synergistic or symbiotic”

4 models for practice: press agentry/publicity, 4 models for practice: press agentry/publicity, public information, two-way asymmetrical public information, two-way asymmetrical models, and two-way symmetrical modelmodels, and two-way symmetrical model

Role of public Role of public relations todayrelations today

Relationships with journalistsRelationships with journalists

Conceptual frameworks of co-existence, Conceptual frameworks of co-existence, dialogue, and symbiotic relationships.dialogue, and symbiotic relationships.

Role that public relations plays in Role that public relations plays in making organisations responsive to making organisations responsive to public (stakeholder) interestspublic (stakeholder) interests

public relation’s essential contribution public relation’s essential contribution to the public information system, to the public information system, through which democratic society through which democratic society functions.functions.

Public relations also helps organisations Public relations also helps organisations anticipate and react to significant public anticipate and react to significant public perceptions and opinions, new values perceptions and opinions, new values and life-styles in the marketplace, and life-styles in the marketplace, power shifts among the electorate and power shifts among the electorate and within legislative bodies, and other within legislative bodies, and other changes in the social, economic, changes in the social, economic, technological, and political environment. technological, and political environment.

Without the public relations function, Without the public relations function, organisations would become organisations would become dysfunctional due to their insensitivity dysfunctional due to their insensitivity to change. to change.

Public relations helps make organisations Public relations helps make organisations responsive to others by monitoring their responsive to others by monitoring their needs and interests, interpreting those needs needs and interests, interpreting those needs in light of organisational decisions and in light of organisational decisions and actions, and providing feedback and counsel actions, and providing feedback and counsel to management. This contributes to making to management. This contributes to making the democratic process more effective. the democratic process more effective.

Another social utility of public relations is the Another social utility of public relations is the facilitation of the democratic process by facilitation of the democratic process by making information availablemaking information available

Public relations serves society by mediating Public relations serves society by mediating conflict and by building relationships conflict and by building relationships essential to the dynamic consensus upon essential to the dynamic consensus upon which social order is basedwhich social order is based

Paradox?Paradox?

'Public relations 'Public relations responds to social responds to social needs, not special needs, not special interests' interests'

(Cutlip 1985: 20)(Cutlip 1985: 20)

RegulationsRegulationshttp://www.globalpr.org/knowledge/ethics/protocol.asp

Code of Athens: Code of Athens: http://www.ipra.org/detail.asp?http://www.ipra.org/detail.asp?articleid=22articleid=22

Code of Lisbon: Code of Lisbon: http://www.cerp.org/codes/european.asphttp://www.cerp.org/codes/european.asp

http://www.instituteforpr.org/http://www.instituteforpr.org/essential_knowledge/detail/essential_knowledge/detail/ethics_and_public_relations/ethics_and_public_relations/

ProComi (Finnish) code of ethics: ProComi (Finnish) code of ethics: http://www.procom.fi:80/Resource.phx/sivhttp://www.procom.fi:80/Resource.phx/sivut/sivut-procom/ajankohtaista/ut/sivut-procom/ajankohtaista/saannotjaeettisetohjeet.htxsaannotjaeettisetohjeet.htx

Case StudyCase StudyWhat is the right decision? How Public What is the right decision? How Public Relations officer can behave and act in Relations officer can behave and act in

this situation?this situation?