Comments on: The Flak Over Flacks

In The Wake Of Scott McClellan's New Book, Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen Says PR People Are Aghast At The Truth

[oldelta]

I find it incredibly unfortunate that Mr. Cohen is judging the entire public relations industry and all of its professionals by the actions of a few. In no way am I claiming that Scott McClellan is an innocent bystander that got swept up in the lies of his administration...I think he willingly participated and is now trying to capitalize on his insider''s perspective for his own financial gain. But let me be clear on something, this is not the story of the average PR person%u2014hiding shady government secrets and deceiving an entire country of people. That''s not our reality. I work for a nonprofit organization that helps blind people. Through my work I help dispel negative stereotypes about the capabilities of blind people in America. I help educate the public. I educate journalists who have no concept of blindness or this unique population of this country. I present factual information. There is nothing for me to "spin." So, before you lump an entire group of people into one easy-to-defame category, I think you should acknowledge the many hard-working, honest public relations professionals working behind the scenes everyday to make an Honest living.

[prmastermind]

To Mr. Cohen:
Journalists research their stories. Journalists know they rely on insiders to inform consumers. Journalists know that the very social conscience of a company is their PR professionals. You, sir, are no journalist. You are uninformed, incorrect and short-sighted. You just bit the very hand that feeds you.

[abrill3]

It is sad and surprising that both Mr. Cohen and CBS have stooped so low as to drawn a presumption that the ethics of PRSA is nothing more than mere hokey.

Cohen''s own nonsensical ramblings about the memoirs of a former White House press secretary, that may or may not be truthful, is nothing more than personal "comedic Zen" and opinion. But for Cohen to use the mass media to denigrate the entire public relations industry is just plain foolish and wrong. It would be just as absurd for the broadcast network to characterize the entire legal industry as suspect based on the performance of a few poor counselors. Coincidentally, both PRSA and the ABA share similar high ethical standards and responsibilities for both members and clients.

Bottom line...shame on Mr. Cohen and double-shame on CBS.

Adam Brill, PRSA

[nannpr]

Lie to the media...I hardly think so... you are out of business forever..More than half of the stories aired by CBS come from or are assisted by a public relations professional....Are you syaing CBS is presenting to the public false information. Nann Miller, APR Fellow

[ljacobson2]

With regard to L''Affair Cohen, if he wanted to take a swipe at the PR profession, he shouldn''t have led with a journalistic hook beginning with Scott McClellan. Say what you want to say, Mr. Cohen, but don''t hide behind the pants of a newly-released author.

I very much adhere to an ethical PR practice and believe that most of my peers do also. Mr. Cohen, if you look at any profession, you''re going to find those that do not live up to the professions'' standards. But to roundly accuse an entire profession of not having standards or of manipulating them is irresponsible. So, perhaps, Mr. Cohen, you''re in the same percentage as Mr. McClellan with regard to your profession?

[mec_pr]

My email response references to Mr. McClennan should have been directed to Mr. Cohen. Apologies to both gentlemen.

[timhill8]

Andrew Cohen says that all PR people, at least those that are employed, are liars. That%u2019s fascinating. I%u2019d be curious to know what gives him the right to call every single person in a profession -- every single person %u2013 a liar. What research or what personal experience brought him to that conclusion? The answer obviously is nothing. Nothing gives him the right to say that. It%u2019s outrageous for him to think he can engage in a hatchet job on an entire profession %u2013 and outrageous that CBS would think that passes for a legitimate commentary. It%u2019s a blatant case of mean-spirited name-calling, made even more egregious by the national forum afforded him from which he could spout this venom. Mr. Cohen crossed way over the line. The hundreds of thousands of public relations people in this country who work hard to do their jobs with honesty and integrity every day deserve an apology.

[mec_pr]

The wisest organizations and companies that work with public relations practitioners do so in order to deliver true, honest and helpful information to its target publics.

The idea that public relations practitioners are flacks is a dated and unrealistic portrait of what the public relations profession stands for today.

May I suggest that Mr. McClennan, as a practicing attorney, do his homework on a subject before he chastises a whole profession for misconduct. Would he agree with the notion that all attorneys are "shysters" because of a few unethical lawyers?

[ljacobson2]

With regard to L''Affair Cohen, if he wanted to take a swipe at the PR profession, he shouldn''t have led with a journalistic hook beginning with Scott McClellan. Say what you want to say, Mr. Cohen, but don''t hide behind the pants of a newly-released author.

I very much adhere to an ethical PR practice and believe that most of my peers do also. Mr. Cohen, if you look at any profession, you''re going to find those that do not live up to the professions'' standards. But to roundly accuse an entire profession of not having standards or of manipulating them is irresponsible. So, perhaps, Mr. Cohen, you''re in the same percentage as Mr. McClellan with regard to your profession?

[ljacobson2]

With regard to L''Affair Cohen, if he wanted to take a swipe at the PR profession, he shouldn''t have led with a journalistic hook beginning with Scott McClellan. Say what you want to say, Mr. Cohen, but don''t hide behind the pants of a newly-released author.

I very much adhere to an ethical PR practice and believe that most of my peers do also. Mr. Cohen, if you look at any profession, you''re going to find those that do not live up to the professions'' standards. But to roundly accuse an entire profession of not having standards or of manipulating them is irresponsible. So, perhaps, Mr. Cohen, you''re in the same percentage as Mr. McClellan with regard to your profession?

[nagems1]

Mr. Cohen deserves to lose his job. And as for CBS --shame on you! This has most assuredly cost you any remaining credibility you have, particularly among PR and marketing professionals. You deserve the consequences that most certainly include loss of viewers and advertisers!

[ljacobson2]

With regard to L''Affair Cohen, if he wanted to take a swipe at the PR profession, he shouldn''t have led with a journalistic hook beginning with Scott McClellan. Say what you want to say, Mr. Cohen, but don''t hide behind the pants of a newly-released author.

I very much adhere to an ethical PR practice and believe that most of my peers do also. Mr. Cohen, if you look at any profession, you''re going to find those that do not live up to the professions'' standards. But to roundly accuse an entire profession of not having standards or of manipulating them is irresponsible. So, perhaps, Mr. Cohen, you''re in the same percentage as Mr. McClellan with regard to your profession?

[lwholmer]

As a member of the PRSA and as a long time practitioner in PR, I am here to say that I don''t lie. In fact, if my employers (past or present) ask me to hide the truth, I counsel them against the idea. And I am employed. Just because one reporter lies about the facts of a story, does that make all reporters liars? I recall this has occurred several times in the recent past and has made national news.

[ioweign]

So many ethical professional PR people!

So where in the hell were all you ethical professional PR people when Bush started his PR and 935 false statements and lies about Iraq ?

Me thinks you protest too much...

[eliskaf]

Yes, members of PRSA may lose their memberships and APRs can lose their accreditation if found to violate the PRSA code of ethics.

As a PR professional, I am prepared to tell anyone whom I counsel or am employed by, that my integrity and credibility can not be lost and I will not lie for them or help them lie. We are also taught that standing aside and knowingly letting another PR person who we know WILL LIE is just as unethical as offering the lie yourself. Unfortunately, those not familiar with PR ethics and training, still think of us as the "spin" doctors which truly is the highest insult ... akin to referring to all lawyers as ambulance chasers.

PRSA''s urgent call to members to read their response letter and to view the posts on CBS''s blog doesn%u2019t qualify as "busted" but was very responsible on their part. I for one appreciated the heads up and choose to stand up for the PR professionals who abide by ethical practices. This is an excellent opportunity to remind people who engage a PR professional to discuss ethics to separate the wheat from the chaff. One can easily distinguish the valuable PR professional from the relatively valueless one depending on his integrity and credibility. You will get the best counsel from a PR professional who has the guts to stand firm and uphold these values. This is actually true in life no matter what the profession. Eliska Flores, Past-President, Central Texas Chapter PRSA

[ljacobson2]

With regard to L''Affair Cohen, if he wanted to take a swipe at the PR profession, he shouldn''t have led with a journalistic hook beginning with Scott McClellan. Say what you want to say, Mr. Cohen, but don''t hide behind the pants of a newly-released author.

I very much adhere to an ethical PR practice and believe that most of my peers do also. Mr. Cohen, if you look at any profession, you''re going to find those that do not live up to the professions'' standards. But to roundly accuse an entire profession of not having standards or of manipulating them is irresponsible. So, perhaps, Mr. Cohen, you''re in the same percentage as Mr. McClellan with regard to your profession?

[infotrue]

How sad that Mr. Cohen has isolated himself from PR pros from whom he could learn a thing or two. Public relations practitioners are passionate about living in a free society where the individual''s ability to reason and form opinions is highly valued. We trust that when people have all of the information available, they can make their own judgements about issues and organizations. Spin, deceit and withholding information have no place in PR.

In his legal career, how can Mr. Cohen have missed the natural tension between the legal profession''s commitment to the client and PR''s commitment to the public? Both pros play critical roles and have high standards of ethics. Ask any lawyer or communications pro which party in the boardroom is the first to want to reveal information to the public in a crisis. The lawyer or the "flack?"

[s_lopatin]

Mr. Cohen,

For the past two years, I worked as a newspaper reporter for a prominent daily in Arizona. A few months ago, I moved to work PR for a company that I believe has the best interest of our veterans in mind. While I agree with your commentary to an extent -- as I had worked with a few PR professionals that did whatever they could to deter me from facts while I was a reporter -- I also worked with PR professionals that were forthright and open, and we formed great reporter/source relationships. Now that I''m in PR, all I do is write about health-related issues for our vets, information that goes out to the base newspapers and Web sites. I KNOW I am truthful, as all I''m doing is educating.

When I was a reporter, I hated when others assumed I would mis-quote them, because other reporters had done so. I KNEW I was accurate, and I never got a quote wrong. Now, working in PR, I ask you not to judge ALL PR professionals based upon a few. There are some great causes out there, of which some have nothing but PR people behind them.

[evansvillepr]

As a devoted fan of CBS Sunday Morning, I was intrigued by the strong commentary attacking the PR industry. As a working member of the public relations profession for seven years, I listened and was taken back by the assault from someone(i.e. Mr Cohen) who has little or no knowledge of the basis and beliefs of those working in PR.

Certainly, there have been those that have pushed the envelope by masking PR with marketing tactics. But we who accept the ethics of the practice maintain a standard that promotes accurate, honest and professional behavior. As someone stated in one response here, long ago it was learned it is much better to take the heat head on than to have to clear up misinformation after it has gone public. I suggest that Mr. Cohen''s PR firm might be dealing with just such a dilemma at the start of business today.

I have not read Mr. McClellan''s book so I can''t speak to his rationalization for his actions. But I heard Mr. Cohen''s remarks and wonder if he misrepresented his outrage at an industry instead of a person.

Sincerely,
Laura Libs
Communications Director
Evansville Convention & Vistors Bureau

[wessels23]

Scott McClellan is not a public relations professional. If he was, he never would have been able to stand before the White House press corps and deliver completely false political propaganda. You do the entire field of public relations a grave disservice by suggesting McClellan lives by any of our professional standards.

I am a PR professional. I do not and will not lie for clients, no matter how important they are - or how righteous they THINK they are.

Stacy Wessels, APR