ABSTRACT
Public relations is an eclectic practice with a great many job descriptions involving myriad functional obligations. Two primary concerns come up when people complain about public relations: It has too much influence on the news media, and it's just plain deceptive by nature. However, as we will see later in this chapter, some who work in public relations don't always see ethical problems when they occur (moral myopia from ), or are hired simply to deal with them in the most efficacious way for the client, and only the client. This chapter examines some of the ways experts in public relations ethics have considered the problems with it. Public relations, more than any other media industry, is entering with gusto into the realm of new media, especially the opportunities provided by the Internet and the concept of social marketing. The only way to ensure ethical practice is to practice ethics in everything we do.
