Ethics and Public Relations
II
Introduction to Public Relations
School of Communication Studies
James Madison University
Dr. Michael Smilowitz
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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.
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The study of ethics
Because everyday life is fraught with difficult
decisions between competing goals, ethics
has been studied for over two thousand
years.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Some professionals ascribe to a Code
of Ethics




Physicians have codes.
Lawyers have codes.
Teachers have codes.
Trades have codes.
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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.
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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.
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The association’s codes have not had
much
impact
From the PRSA 2000
Guidelines
A member shall:

Probably
only
10%
of practitioners
arewhen
· Preserve
the free
flow
of unprejudiced
information
members
of an
and
only
a third
giving
or receiving
giftsassociation
by ensuring that
gifts
are nominal,
legal,
and infrequent.
of the
members have earned accreditation.
Examples of Improper Conduct Under this Provision:

of the code
are only sanctioned
· AViolators
member representing
a ski manufacturer
gives a pair ofat
meetings
orskis
with
short
blurb columnist,
in the to
expensive
racing
to aasports
magazine
influence
the columnist
to write favorable
articles about the
association’s
newsletter,
or if accredited,
product.
they may have their accreditation reviewed
· A member entertains a government official beyond legal
and revoked.
limits and/or in violation of government reporting

The codes are sufficiently vague that
requirements.
infractions are often not regarded as
violations.
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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.
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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.