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Section One: Introduction
I chose to research the correlation between public relations and
ethics for my treasure hunt project. I am a public relations major
so I thought it would be interesting to learn information about
my chosen profession that I don’t learn in the classroom.
I wanted to learn why there is no universal code of ethics for public
relations practitioners because I feel this is a main reason as
to why the profession is looked upon with contempt and disgust.
If all practitioners abided by the same guidelines, and didn’t
base their judgments on moral opinion, I believe the public relations
field will be held in higher regard. Also, I wanted to learn about
the various ways people perceive the public relations field, and
how PR professionals can work to change their public image if it
is negative. This research should help others learn more about the
controversy over public relations ethics, and aid people in their
efforts to learn about company reputation, and that of the public
relations field. Public relations majors and professionals will
find this research informative because it contains many links to
workshops for building company reputation, and links to debates
over ethics in the public relations field.
Section One-B: Keyword Searches
· UNC Library Catalog:
- public relations AND ethics
- public relations AND privacy
· Academic Lexis-Nexis:
- ethics in public relations
- public relations, privacy (guided search)
· Search Engine (http://www.google.com):
- public relations and ethics
- public relation and reputation
Section Two: Print and Non-Print Sources
· Two Print Sources:
Baker, Lee W. The credibility factor: putting ethics to work in
public relations. Homewood, Ill.: Business One Irwin, 1983. UNC
Library Call Number: PR-edu .B167
Salmon, Richard. Henry James and the Culture of
Publicity. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997. UNC Library
Call Number: P6 S25
· Non-Print Source:
MacArthur, John D., and Catherine T. The Image Makers. Moyer, Bill.
60 minutes. PBS Video, 1988. UNC Library Call Number: 65-V1752
Section Three: Electronic Indexes and Database
Sources
· Leeds, Mark. “An ethical code for PR Practitioners:
Balancing Loyalty and Responsibility.” PR News. Vol. 58. 2002.
Database On-line. Available from Lexis- Nexis Academic
<http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe> [12 January 2003]
· Arnold, Matthew. “Global Alliance
of PR Pros Pushing for Code of Ethics.” PR Week (US). Vol.
43. 2002. Database On-line. Available from Lexis-Nexis Academic
<http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe>
[15 January 2003]
· Litalien, Guy. “View of PR Sector
cynical, insulting.” Montreal Gazette, Thursday Final Edition,
12 December 2002, Editorial/ Op-Ed, A30. Database On-line. Available
from Lexis-Nexis Academic <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe>
[26 January 2003]
· Wright, Donald. “Publicity and Public
Relations Worktext.” In the Journal of Advertising. 4th ed.
Columbus: Grid, 1978. 46. Database On-line. Available from ABI/Inform
(Proquest) <http://proquest.umic.com/pdqweb>
[26 January 2003]
· Kuczynski, Alex. “In Public Relations,
25% admit lying.” The New York Times, 8 May 2002, Op-Ed, C20.
Database On-line. Available from EBSCOhost <http://www.epnet.com/ehost/login.html>
[17 January 2003]
· Williams, Dean. “Weaving Ethics into
Corporate Culture.” In Communication World. 4th ed. San Francisco:
International Association of Business Communicators, 2002. 38. Database
On-line. Available from EBSCOhost <http://www.epnet.com/ehost/login.html>
[17 January 2003]
Section Four: Web Sources on My Topic
· Title of Web page: Public Relations and Ethics
Web address: http://www.chelgate.com/articles/ethics.htm
Brief Description: Chelgate Communications is one of the top public
relations firms in the United Kingdom who are diligently working
to establish an international code of ethics. On this web page,
they discuss their reasons behind this fight, and state what they
believe a coherent code of ethics for public relations practitioners
should be.
Source of Website: Chelgate Limited
· Title of Web page: Public Relations Online
– Reputation Management
Web address: http://www.public-relations-online.net/reputation-management/
Brief Description: This website can be used as a source of information
for either corporations, non-profit organizations or public relations
agencies. Public Relations Online provides many techniques on how
to manage your reputation, and portray the best public image of
your company. Individual companies can learn how to accomplish this
themselves, and public relations agencies can discover new techniques
on how to manage public reputations.
Source of Website: Public Relations Online Resource Directory
· Title of Web page: Council of PR Firms
– Code of Ethics
Web address: http://www.prfirms.org/ethics.asp
Brief Description: The Council of Public Relations Firms is an organization
composed of 122 public relations firms throughout the U.S. They
advocate the importance of the public relations profession, promote
public relations careers and assist the member firms in setting
standards for the public relations industry. They provided their
code of ethics that all members abide by, and it helps prove that
a general code of ethics needs to be established by which all public
relations practitioners adhere to.
Source of Website: Council of Public Relations Firms
· Title of Website: Arthur Page Society
Web address: http://www.awpagesociety.com/public/prlinks/links.html
Brief Description: The Arthur Page Society is an organization dedicated
to public relations management. The organization is composed of
approximately 300 members, mainly chief corporate public relations
officers of major companies. They provide links to specific types
of management issues, such as brand management, reputation management,
crisis management, etc.
· Title of Website: The Current Debate Surrounding
PR Ethics
Web address: http://www.zupko.com/pr_ethic.htm
Brief Description: Sarah Zupko has constructed an essay explaining
why there is a strong need for the establishment of a universal
code of ethics for public relations practitioners. She cites several
important public relations leaders, including Donald Wright, and
explains how most ethical problems are solved based on individual
moral opinion, rather than a non-biased decision. She asserts that
if a universal code were to be established, the bias and controversy
surrounding ethical public relations’ practices would soon
evaporate.
Section Five: Internet Mini-Essay
TITLE: Crackdown on Internet Porn
Kings
(TOPIC AREA: Net Controversy)
Internet child pornography rings have always been
a large international problem since the creation of the World Wide
Web. Congress has been involved since the first case was uncovered,
and in 1996, passed the Communications Decency Act, seeking to protect
children from exploitation on the web. Recently however, in the
past 5 years, international officials have increased their efforts
to capture the “internet porn kings”, and ensure that
they are brought to justice.
In 1998, a huge ring was uncovered in 14 European
countries, and over 200 suspected pedophiles were arrested and sentenced.
The United States recently uncovered an Internet
child pornography company in Texas. In 2001, Attorney General John
Ashcroft and U.S. Postal Inspector Kenneth Weaver instituted “Operation
Avalanche”, and shut down Landslide, Inc., owned and operated
by Thomas Reedy and his wife. Reedy is currently serving a life
sentence and his wife 14 years. (1)
Interpol, the largest international police organization,
has joined in the efforts as well. They recently arrested 12 people
in a worldwide Internet child porn case. The investigation, titled
“Operation Artus”, began when German national officials
seized a computer system, floppy disks, and CD-ROMs from a suspected
pedophile, and from there uncovered all the subscribers to his website.
The case stretched over the Atlantic to Ontario, Canada, where more
were arrested in connection to the German pedophile.(2)
Last year, Britain and Australia also joined in
the efforts to erase child pornography. In Britain, five youths
were arrested, and in Australia, a 43-year old man was sentenced
for eight counts of child pornography. Robert Stephen Keating had
226,500 porn images, over 180,000 were child abuse material. (3)
The crackdown on “Internet porn kings”
is an on-going investigation, and one of the largest controversies
over the availability and flexibility of the World Wide Web.
NOTES:
(1) Mayer, Stephen, “Operation Avalanche,” Available
[On-line] http://www.techtv.com/news/politicsandlaw/story/0,24195,3341248,00.htm
[Accessed: 31 January 2003]
(2) Thomas, Jacob, “Internet Porn King Jailed,” The
Age, 31 August 2002, p.23 Also Available [On-line] http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/30/1030508121294.htm
[Accessed: 22 January 2003]
(3) Stromwell, Susan, “Interpol breaks child pornography ring,”
Available [On-line] http://www.walnet.org/csis/news/world_2002/gandm-020320-4.html
[Accessed: 22 January 2003]
THREE WEB SITES:
Title of Web page: Operation Avalanche
Web address: http://www.techtv.com/news/politicsandlaw/story/0,24195,3341248,00.htm
Brief Description: Article on Attorney General John Ashcroft’s
investigation into Landddslide, Inc.
Source of Web Site: Techtv.com
Title of Web page: Internet Porn King Jailed
Web address: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/30/1030508121294.htm
Brief Description: Article in Brisbane newspaper of arrest of Robert
Stephen Keating, man with over 180,000 materials of child abuse.
Source of Web site: The Age.com (Brisbane newspaper)
Title of Web page: Interpol crackdown on child pornographers
Web address: http://www.walnet.org/csis/news/world_2002/gandm-020320-4.html
Brief Description: Article on Interpol investigation, and the specific
nations involved.
Source of Web site: CNN.com (investigated the story)
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