I work for you in Brazil and prior to joining Edelman I used to work for Reuters as an online Editor covering a variety of subjects.
As I used to write a monthly music column for Reuters I decided to have a blog as my readers wanted me to be more opinionative and I felt I needed a space to publish what I could not include in the column.
Unfortunately when I joined Edelman I decided to quit on the blog as I felt awkward for a PR to write such informal things for mostly youngsters. I thought it could be something not very well perceived by colleagues or clients.
Apparently the acceptance of blogs is wider now but I still have lots of doubts about it, especially about pitching to blogs.
Blogs are so independent and yet seen as an underground network that in my opinion bloggers would only hear what we have to pitch if we did not openly say we are PR professionals.
I also have the impression that even experts representing companies would not be heard. I guess bloggers are more likely to hear other bloggers or ?ordinary? people rather than professionals.
So how can we pitch something without being misjudged as boring sales people?
How can we differentiate ourselves as credible sources since anybody can lie about anything on the Web? And how can we control the information and monitor the results since the messages are spread on the Web for thousands, sometimes millions of blogs, independent websites and other webchannels?
Finally, as we need to approve everything we send on behalf of our clients, how can we make them understand the informality of the language used on blogs versus its importance and efficiency as credible messages?
Thanks a lot for your attention.
Thiane Loureiro, Corporate Manager, Brazil

That's a very good assessment, Richard. PR as an 'honourable profession' is under real threat with the perceptions people (aka clients and influencers) have that are greatly shaped by events they see happening and stories like the FT's.

As good an example as any of this wretched downward spiral is the variety of comments to one of Jay Rosen's posts at the height of the blogosphere bruhaha about Ketchumgate in January. Consistent commenting there that PR is all about spin, lies and manipulation. Nothing else.

I think your three suggestions are just great. While numbers 1 and 2 may take a while to see the fruits ripening, number 3 is something that's relatively easy to address immediately.

I've been advocating for some time that one of the roles of the professional associations must be to be the torch bearer, so to speak, for ethics in the profession. PRSA in the US and the CIPR in the UK - to name just two examples - have codes of ethics. On an international level, IABC does. As a long-time IABC member, I believe its code is a benchmark of ethical responsibility that could form the basis for a universal code of ethics for the PR profession.

Until one of the professional associations steps up to the plate on ethics, the status quo you refer to will be the constant cross the profession has to bear.

PR people give some people the "weeby-geebies". Propaganda as a perjorative term is often used to describe the new "spin-doctors" of today.

I think your blog is one creative solution. Who gives a damn about some "Press Release" regurgitated into a reporter's story? In an industry that strangles creativity, and feigns "objectivity" much needs to change.

I'm sure you've heard the conventional wisdom of the day: "It's a scary world when people laugh at their newsmen and take their comedians seriously."

The market forces will continue to work on print media. While the Internet is a great place to read the news and do research, it is also a lonely galaxy. Nothing can change the contentment some feel at seeing ink printed on paper. However, being ready and able to compete in the new Online marketplace is only one of the challenges.

The PR world needs more than just ethics, it needs new blood and some new symbols.

"Apparently the acceptance of blogs is wider now but I still have lots of doubts about it, especially about pitching to blogs.
Blogs are so independent and yet seen as an underground network that in my opinion bloggers would only hear what we have to pitch if we did not openly say we are PR professionals."

I think traveling under false colors is the worst possible approach with bloggers. If you take the view that PR is honest work, then you should be eager to identify yourself as a PR pro. Pitch bloggers almost as you would any other news provider. Tell them why their readers would be interested in your client's story.

The most important thing is to find out which blogs your clients’ customers read.
http://technoflak.blogspot.com/2005/01/how-to-pitch-bloggers_30.html

Patrick,

I went to a fascinating panel discussion last night at Reuters NY office. Members of the new media world and old media world interacting One important conclusion--this is not a zero sum game. Traditional media and bloggers will both be better off in this new transparent environment Now that the public has a voice, all kinds of media should foster increased participation, offering chance for dialogue. Bloggers need to raise their game to self regulate to apply a sense of ethics before you are corrected by other bloggers, to commit to common sense, accuracy and fair play.

Neville,

Thanks for note. I think we have way too many overlapping groups in PR, each trying to set forth principles. Get the Arthur Page Society and the IABC and a couple of others at the table and hammer out something we can all live with. I would support you 100%. Nothing is more important to our shared future.

Thiane,

The blogsphere is a very self-correcting universe If bloggers spew out incorrect information, they will not have a following Or they will be corrected by those who have the facts. So I am much more positive than you about the more democratized media structure in the future That said, I am also convinced that smart people will look at both blogs and traditional media to be sure of truth

Public relations is looked upon with more skepticism than ever today, not so much because the practice of PR has fundamentally changed, but because consumers increasingly have the tools and sophistication to look behind the curtain and see how the worlds of PR and media interact. They're finding out how the soup's made, and realizing that a lot of fingers are trying to get into the pot every day.

The public -- finally -- has come to understand that the newspaper that plops on the front porch each morning is not some pure, objective "truth" on stone tablets. It is an imperfect product created through imperfect processes, where often the loudest voice -- inside or outside the news organization -- gets disproportionate attention. The media has always been a "squeaky wheel gets the grease" business, and PR firms squeak for a living.

Personally, I'm glad the public is figuring out how all of this works. And I think -- with or without towering figures to represent the industry -- the PR business will ultimately get what we deserve in the court of public opinion.

The only way a code of ethics will work in the PR industry is if the people of influence decide to invest in ethics education for employees before the employees get into the industry. I teach business ethics at a local university, and about half the class would do pretty much anything to make a buck, ethics code or not. A few have some scruples, but only about ten percent of the class knows what it means to act ethically in business and are prepared to do so. A code of ethics will not make substantially unethical people behave ethically. When the chips are down, only the ones with character will act ethically. The others will take their chances with the code of ethics, and if they are penalized by industry sanctions, well they can always go work for Clifford. As long as there are people like him who are prominent in the industry, industry sanctions won't deter people who emulate him. The only deterrent to unethical behavior most of my students seem to acknowledge is the law. That's got to be a pretty bad state of affairs. The situation is bleak, but not impossible. I think you'll find that the best place to find employees who are ethical is religious colleges and institutions. Usually such places still empasize the importance of living ethically not just through ethics classes but through the ethos of the institution.

Best,

Scott,

Note my blog of today covering Columbia University PR department's use of an exclusive with the NY Times that completely backfired. PR tactics must change or we are not going to be useful in changing public opinion.

Richard

Alice,

Never operate under the cover of night. We cannot allow any more of this sense that PR people are like CIA operatives. Transparency is the rule.

Richard

Gary,

If we have to regulate every transaction and every aspect of life, our economy will sink.
Countries with high trust levels perform better. We need to go back to a time when parents teach ethical behavior, where illegal downloading of music is unacceptable (just an example) and where manners matter. I believe in the power of self regulation but am smart enough to know that there must be sanction in the event of violation of rules.

Richard