Part 10 continues the series of posts taken from my interview by a PR student working on a course paper.
Question:
Do you consider that there are any misconceptions about the public relations profession?
Answer:
Yes, there are some misconceptions and misperceptions about the PR profession. Some uninformed people call us “spin doctors.” I tell people that effective PR professionals do not spin, lie or fabricate. We tell the truth and, in many cases, we are the conscience of our organizations.
Some uninformed people think that PR professionals can simply wave a magic wand and make crises go away. For example, the situation at Penn State cannot be resolved simply by good public relations. The university needs to “clean house,” eliminate some of the dysfunctional aspects of its culture and better define and emulate its core values. Until that is done, no reputable PR professional can truly help the school.
What are other misconceptions about the PR profession?
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