PR's Bad Name

Since my studies in public relations began a couple of months ago I have found it a sad but true irony that we are constantly trying to build a positive image for the field we will hopefully one day work in, as well as the organisations we will one day represent.


With its history submerged in propaganda, advertising and spin, it is an ongoing struggle to separate public relations from the stigma that it has developed over the years. In a time when the scandals of government spin doctors have become increasingly prominent in the news, the post Sept 11th debates on the legitimacy of swaying pubic opinion to agree to the war in Iraq, and negative misrepresentation from the media, it is a struggle that I personally don't think can be won.

Evidence over the years has shown one of the major problems that could be preventing public relations becoming a legitimate profession is the lack of a coherent definition. Many key practitioners over the years have offered up definitions of public relations yet we remain without one universal definition.

In order to justify public relations we must be able to explain what it does, after all definitions are what will shape a persons perception of it. Failing to define itself could leave the profession wide open to definitions that are inaccurate or outdated, therefore, some believe it needs to define itself, to protect itself.

The inability to define public relations and its purpose will only invite more scrutiny. However, it could be argued that it is simply unrealistic to set in stone one definition for a field that is so multifaceted, ever changing and evolving. Public relations in the UK emerged from politics and the economy, and so it is only natural that the industry will constantly evolve taking this into account along with societal and technological changes.

Another area public relations needs to address in order to gain legitimacy as a profession it seems would be education. What separates public relations from professions such as law and accountancy is the formal requirements of education, or training to call yourself a public relations practitioner, whereas in other professions education is a necessary requirement. As it stands, anyone can call themselves a public relations practioner regardless of qualifications, skill and integrity, traits that a true professional would possess.

Public relations plays a vital role in today’s democratic society and good democratic decisions can only be made when the public is well informed. Public relations is a powerful and influential industry and must be treated responsibly, this will require taking education extremely seriously, as with other professions.

Shouldn't there be a system put into place where there are educational standards and requirements set to call oneself a professional in the field of public relations. Some type of distinction between those who have chose to study and undertake ongoing research into the field, to better themselves as a professional, and those who lack the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out their work at a professional level.

There is potentially a real harm to society with incompetent people out there calling themselves public relations practioners who could be misusing there power and communication skills to mislead the public.

Ethics and professionalism are bound together; you can't have one without the other. Ethical training should be embodied in the educational training of public relations. Public relations practitioners who lack formal education in the field have had any formal training in ethics either. There needs to be a clear ethical framework for practitioners and codes of ethics that can be enforced.

These are just a few of the issues that require addressing when considering public relations as a legitimate profession. Even if all these issues were addressed and resolved, which is very unlikely, then there will still remain a great deal of sceptical people out there. We cannot go back and rewrite history, and we cannot force people to change their opinions, we just have to accept that Woking in the field of public relations we are inevitably going to have to deal with the cynics, but as long as we practice ethically, professionally and transparently then we shouldn't loose any sleep over it.