Scott McClellan’s book, “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception” which prompted the commentary by Andrew Cohen (CBS’ legal analyst) that all PR people are against the truth, certainly has incited the entire profession and its most recognizable societies.
It’s been interesting to see the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) response and the email campaign by the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA). Incite a population of communicators and media relations executives and you’ll probably get a calculated, strategic and somewhat exaggerated response to the criticism. PR people, especially those involved with crisis communications, love a good fight.
I don’t agree with Cohen’s assertion “Show me a PR person who is “accurate” and “truthful,” and I’ll show you a PR person who is unemployed.” I believe that PR people who aren’t accurate and truthful are the ones who find themselves out of a job.
But there is a HUGE difference between being a White House Press Secretary and a Jacksonville PR executive. Political PR is a machine. The ultimate in spin and politics. But local PR people who lie, cover up or otherwise bend the truth are typically outed pretty quickly. So are the clients they represent.
When I became a PR person (by way of being a journalist first) I used to talk to prospective clients about what PR is and what it’s not. And I think it’s a pretty common distinction that local and regional media relations professionals tell clients up front that we’re not in the business of lying, covering up or intentionally deceiving the public.
PR is as much about pitching and telling a story as it is about accuracy, truthfulness and an absolute trust between reporters and media relations professionals. On a local level, any little half-truth or even a stretch can erode that trust.
But spin is spin is spin. And it’s the lifeblood of politics from building a person’s image before the run, to the campaign and the actual service in the position.
Perhaps McClellan’s book will spawn a whole generation of PR people jokes in the vein of lawyer jokes. And that’s a good parallel, because PR executives and lawyers work in the same way – both represent their clients and the clients’ interests. And both have only to look to the next client and the next project to understand why lying or covering is a bad idea…especially if one would like to work in ‘this town‘ again.
Tags: accuracy, Andrew Cohen, CBS Flak, lying, public relations, Scott McClellan, truthfulness
