News and Spin: journalism and public relations - symbiosis or parasitosis?

1. Do you want spin with that:News and Public Relations Symbiosis or Parasitosis? Martin Hirst March 2010

2. On average more than 50% of stories in the Australian media are derived from PR sources International studies confirm the number is always pretty high Good or evil? Our investigation strongly confirms that journalism in Australia today is heavily influenced by commercial interests selling a product, and constrained and blocked by politicians, police and others who control the media message. (Crikey.com.au)

3. Same or not so same? Journalism Public Interest Code of Ethics Commercial model Public Relations Client Interest Code of Ethics Commercial model

4. Role of PR It is the role of the public relations professional to persuade the publics of an organisation to a particular view. Having put forward a persuasive argument it is then up to others to challenge that. (Anne Gregory 2002)

5. The public interest test A key element of ethics for both journalists and PR practitioners is the PUBLIC INTEREST TEST The question to ask yourself about this is: How do my actions in writing this story, or adopting this PR strategy advance the public interest?

6. The dialectic of spin We live in a complex and competitive world, full of contradictions, ambiguities and uncertainty. And as Pearson (1989) put it so well "public relations practice is situated at precisely that point where competing interests collide. Indeed, public relations problems can be defined in terms of the collision, or potential collision of these interests. Serving client and public interests simultaneously is the seemingly impossible mission of the public relations practitioner". (Anne Gregory 2002)

7. Dubious methods Given the public interest test, how do you rate journalism and PR on the following: Dubious tactics to achieve an ethical end Misrepresenting yourself to sources/customers Entrapment Hidden methods of investigation/persuasion Lying to protect a source/client The commercial interests of the employer/client

8. Symbiosis or Parasitosis How similar or different are your answers to the questions on the previous slides? How far apart do you think journalism an PR are in terms of ethics How similar, or different are codes of ethics for journalists and PR practitioners?

9. Symbiosis A symbiotic relationship is one in which both the host and the parasite (symbosite?) gain a benefit Importantly, the benefit does not drain health from the host

10. Parasitosis A parasitic relationship involves the parasite gaining at the expense of the host. The host may/may not suffer very harmful damage, or very little damage.