Comments on: Cohen: Flacks Follow-Up

After Blasting The PR Industry's Attack On Scott McClellan, Andrew Cohen Responds To Critics

[prprofessor]

The lack of accuracy in this commentary by Mr. Cohen is astounding and sad. As an 18 year PR veteran and now a professor, I tell my students that without your good reputation in this business, you have nothing. You must not only be a better writer than the reporters and producers, you must be absolutely accurate and truthful, even when it hurts. Check us out, Mr. Cohen, before you make such baseless allegations because, believe it or not, many of us believe very strongly in the truth and fight exceptionally hard to make sure we are giving you in the news media factual information. While you may have run into a few poor PR representatives, the vast majority of us are anything but the picture you painted on Sunday.

[wtcoombs]

Mr. Cohen:

People should accept your point that the opinion essay was your commentary rather than a researched news story. But people have a right to defend their professions; it is a centuries old concept known as apologia (self-defense). As a public relations educator, for example, I dislike the generalization about teaching students to lie. But I respect your point that there are problems in the field, however, we differ markedly on the percentages. The field of public relations is often slow to wrestle with its own demons but we are making progress. Two recent books speak to the need to examine the good and the bad in public relations: Reconfiguring Public Relations (McKie & Munshi) and It%u2019s Not Just PR: Public Relations in Society (Coombs & Holladay). [To be transparent, I am a co-author on the second book]. We do need to continue the self-reflection in public relations but your first story went too far in the negative generalization to effectively contribute to the debate. Your second story, upon careful reading, does contribute to that debate. One thing is certain; your articles will live on in public relations courses for years to come.

W. Timothy Coombs
Professor
Eastern Illinois University

[jfpuckett]

What I find most amusing about this is that if you asked most Americans, they wouldn''t be able to tell you what public relations is. Most people probably wouldn''t make the connection between press secretary and public relations professionals. So the assertion that the public is bothered by this because of one guy who''s been part of an administration and now he says that administration has been lying (confirming the suspicions of a number of Americans) is on the wrong track. I think the public is bothered by this guy and the administration. Why aren''t you writing as overtly scathing attacks on the administration?

[loramarie03]

Mr. Cohen would do well in learning what public relations entails. It is not making speeches for your company or "spinning" things in the right way. Sure, there are those out there who do that - and they are more likely known as PUBLICISTS. A public relations professional who is good at what they do is integrated into the business of an organization, often working directly with senior management. Strategic plans, thought-leadership and community relations are areas that people don''t even realize public relations professionals focus on. Maybe if we were back in 1982 this article would have some merit. But wake up, its 2008 and public relations folks do far more than spin news stories and glorify organizations through savvy speeches.

[flaktshirt]

I''m a PRSA member and a working PR professional. My PRSA colleagues make a point that the pr staff can be the conscience of an organization (not least because they''ll have to explain its actions to the public), but it''s a function more often observed in the breach.

More to the point, most flaks are never required to descend to the self-parodying depths of Scott McClellan--the real (and more insidious) danger is the day-to-day disingenuousness of putting an organization''s best foot forward.

One thing McClellan was right about is that we inhabit a (necessary) zone of self-hypnosis. Cohen''s commentary was a splash of cold water that roused us from the trance.

[fireceos]

Don''t buy his book. You might need that money to pay your mortgage. We already know the story, don''t we?

[abha2-2009]

To mix some metaphors, the dissed PR professionals and Mr. Cohen are arguing about a few bad apples when the real issue is the trees in the forest Most people working in public relations do their jobs with care and integrity, and they are right to point out that the scumbag spin doctors Mr. Cohen describes won%u2019t be very effective%u2014at least not for long. However, we should not be reassured by the good intentions and ethical decision making of individuals. We should focus instead on the actions of the powerful institutions on whose behalf they work. And better still on the logic of the forest in which they thrive: a capitalist democracy, where wealth is concentrated and political power is (theoretically) dispersed. It%u2019s no accident that the practice of public relations was born in America. Edward Bernays, the %u201Cfather of modern public relations,%u201D said it best: public relations is the %u201Cengineering of consent.%u201D In order to survive, corporations and other powerful institutions must ensure that we, the public, accept their view of the world%u2014what%u2019s best for them is also best for all of us. If public relations professionals share the interests of the organizations they work for, they are not spinning; they are speaking the truth as they see it. Unfortunately, they are often mistaken.

[abha2-2009]

To mix some metaphors, the dissed PR professionals and Mr. Cohen are arguing about a few bad apples when the real issue is the trees in the forest Most people working in public relations do their jobs with care and integrity, and they are right to point out that the scumbag spin doctors Mr. Cohen describes won%u2019t be very effective%u2014at least not for long. However, we should not be reassured by the good intentions and ethical decision making of individuals. We should focus instead on the actions of the powerful institutions on whose behalf they work. And better still on the logic of the forest in which they thrive: a capitalist democracy, where wealth is concentrated and political power is (theoretically) dispersed. It%u2019s no accident that the practice of public relations was born in America. Edward Bernays, the %u201Cfather of modern public relations,%u201D said it best: public relations is the %u201Cengineering of consent.%u201D In order to survive, corporations and other powerful institutions must ensure that we, the public, accept their view of the world%u2014what%u2019s best for them is also best for all of us. If public relations professionals share the interests of the organizations they work for, they are not spinning; they are speaking the truth as they see it. Unfortunately, they are often mistaken.

[abha2-2009]

To mix some metaphors, the dissed PR professionals and Mr. Cohen are arguing about a few bad apples when the real issue is the trees in the forest Most people working in public relations do their jobs with care and integrity, and they are right to point out that the scumbag spin doctors Mr. Cohen describes won%u2019t be very effective%u2014at least not for long. However, we should not be reassured by the good intentions and ethical decision making of individuals. We should focus instead on the actions of the powerful institutions on whose behalf they work. And better still on the logic of the forest in which they thrive: a capitalist democracy, where wealth is concentrated and political power is (theoretically) dispersed. It%u2019s no accident that the practice of public relations was born in America. Edward Bernays, the %u201Cfather of modern public relations,%u201D said it best: public relations is the %u201Cengineering of consent.%u201D In order to survive, corporations and other powerful institutions must ensure that we, the public, accept their view of the world%u2014what%u2019s best for them is also best for all of us. If public relations professionals share the interests of the organizations they work for, they are not spinning; they are speaking the truth as they see it. Unfortunately, they are often mistaken.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "...find you shallow and callous and not a good American citizen."

Posted by prissypatrio

Exactly. Just like der good Germanz in WWII.

Heil!

[PrissyPatriot]

As a military family with a loved one, merely a teenager (injured once in the National,not International Guard) Mr.Cohen, I find you shallow and callous and not a good American citizen. No good American would write the trash you just wrote and stand by it.
You owe (along with the rest of the lying media) an apology. Unfortunately, you''ve proved your ego is not capable of giving one...

[feelfree4u]

RobinMayhall,

Re: "You slam a 20,000-member organization because of one person who may not even be a member."

Whew! Talk about hyperbole!

Re: "Just like responsible lawyers and media people, responsible PR folks do work to elevate our profession."

HELLO!!! Have you seen the current state of our legal system and media lately?

Re: "PRSA also defends our profession against the ignorant who try to destroy the public''s faith in it."

Seems like you guys are doing a pretty thorough job of that on your own.

Re: "Mr. Cohen, I hope you''re as proud of yourself and your profession."

Sounds like he took a brief glimpse in the mirror here. Maybe you should try it.

[feelfree4u]

eilenew,

Re: "Even though I''ve counseled management to do the right thing time and time again, there have been instances when my bosses still went against my ethical voice."

And did you resign, or did you keep on serving as a mouthpiece for these liars?

Care to give us some examples, or will you continue to cover for them?

[robinmayhall]

Mr. Cohen: Your original column and follow-up contained inaccuracies and generalizations that merit a response. To say that "PR people are trained to be slickly untruthful or half-truthful%u201D is simply ludicrous. Can you offer any evidence for this claim?

You slam a 20,000-member organization because of one person who may not even be a member. I don%u2019t know if Scott McClellan is a PRSA member, but I''ve been one for 17 years, and I do live by our written code of ethics. If McClellan is also a member, he should be punished for any violations of that code. If you find that amusing or hard to believe, well %u2026 that%u2019s a shame.

You quote a friend: "''The PR industry needs to take some responsibility for this state of affairs (as do lawyers and the media) and work to restore the public%u2019s faith.''%u201D

Just like responsible lawyers and media people, responsible PR folks do work to elevate our profession. In addition to our code of ethics, PRSA offers continuing education, supports communications research, promotes quality PR education and offers a demanding accreditation exam. PRSA also defends our profession against the ignorant who try to destroy the public%u2019s faith in it.

If McClellan is NOT a PRSA member, then he doesn%u2019t practice MY profession. My employers and colleagues know my character and expertise. I''m proud to be a PRSA member, and PRSA is proud to have people like me as members.

Mr. Cohen, I hope you''re as proud of yourself and your profession.

[eilenew]

Having devoted over 20 years of my life as a PR professional, I am justifiably offended by both the original statement and this non-apology.

Any blanket statement about a group of individuals is by nature stereotyping and an example of poor writing.

Have I ever been asked to write or say something that wasn''t true in my 20 years? Yes. And do you know what my response was? I said "NO."

Even though I''ve counseled management to do the right thing time and time again, there have been instances when my bosses still went against my ethical voice. It is not always the PR person''s fault for what is stated in press releases or in the media statements and interviews.

I had a PR position where management placed me in situations that I felt were less than truthful. In this instance, I left the company and found other work. Among the other professionals I know, this is normal, not exceptional behavior.

Instead of criticizing the profession, you should be thankful that there are PR professionals who are trying to counsel management to make the right choices, say the right things, and engage in socially responsible activities.

Eilene Wollslager, PhD(c), APR

[feelfree4u]

Re: "You compound your lack of integrity by now being gleeful at your lack of knowledge and defensive about how quickly we saw through your naive opinions."

Posted by AnnBarks

AnnBarks, eh?

What an ideal name for a Corporate lapdog.

[feelfree4u]

leahdog2150,

Re: "Andrew fills the bill with a poorly written and poorly reasoned attack on the public relations profession."

I thought that it was one of his better written/reasoned articles. It sure seems to have gotten the members of the Professional Liars of America''s panties in a bunch.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "It''s like saying that all TV reporters spend more time worrying about how their hair looks than about understanding the issue on which they are reporting."

"I would NEVER say that about Mr. Cohen."

Posted by lanasma

Uhhhh....have you ever seen this man''s head?

That''s a PR hack/professional/pathological liar for you. Yapping about things of which they have no personal knowledge, as if they were experts, regardless of, and even in spite of, the facts.

[leahdog2150]

Let''s review the facts. The nation''s number three network needs some cheap filler for its Sunday Morning News program. Andrew fills the bill with a poorly written and poorly reasoned attack on the public relations profession. CBS has never launched a successful morning news program and has wasted $75 million dollars on an anchor who has actually taken the evening news to its lowest ratings in history. Bill Paley is spinning in his grave. Let''s ignore this jerk. He clearly doesn''t know what he is talking about, he can''t write and nobody is really listening to what he has to say.

[lanasma]

As an employed PR professional, I take exception to Cohen''s sweeping, unapologetic statements. It''s like saying that all TV reporters spend more time worrying about how their hair looks than about understanding the issue on which they are reporting.

I would NEVER say that about Mr. Cohen.