By Cathy Park, TriSight Contributor
In academic and theoretical approaches, public relations is centered around the ‘PESO’ model. The PESO model refers to the paid, earned, shared, and owned media channels in which organizations can disseminate content.
Image Credits: SpinSucks.com
Usually, it is the strategic combination of these media channels that makes for successful campaigns. Historically, the notion of public relations focused merely on the “earned” portion of this model–specifically obtaining journalistic coverage. However, public relations, as we know it today, is an ever-changing field that has adapted so that earned media now only represents only a small portion of a practitioner’s job.
The dynamic nature of today’s media sphere is generally viewed as a positive attribute. Brands can interact more directly with consumers and the public due to social media channels, and multiple platforms allows for integrated messaging that incorporates more creativity than ever before.
However, even with these newfound benefits, there are new ethical implications that must be addressed. More and more, we see the lines between paid media and earned media blurring.
It is a common practice for journalists or bloggers to cover content that they have been paid to write about. However, the ethical dilemma comes from the fact that many of the articles do not blatantly state that the content has been crafted for advertising purposes.
This has historically been a problem, specifically in the music business. “Payola” refers to when record labels pay radio stations to promote their artists’ music by playing their songs more frequently. According to the Federal Communications Commission, stations must disclose whether or not they are being paid to promote any type of content.
The new media terrain has allowed for this problem to surface on other platforms, particularly news websites, blogs, and social media sites. Native advertising is the use of paid content in a format that looks and seems like a typical ‘earned’ news article. To combat these growing practices, the FCC announced a similar set of rules for bloggers and journalists in 2010. They must let their readers and followers know whether or not their endorsements have been paid for.
However, this is not always a rule that is closely followed. And even with these rules in place, how will the FCC actually be able to monitor who complies and who does not? With the millions of bloggers, writers, and reporters out there, can the FCC actually enforce these guidelines? Not really.
Image Credit: AOL.com, VanityFair.com
It is becoming increasingly difficult for readers to decipher between what is, as earned content is more valuable to companies than paid content is. With shorter attention spans and increasingly adverse attitudes toward paid advertisements, audiences clearly favor organic content. Therefore, many companies may actually opt to pay more for influencers and journalists to conceal the pay behind the content. To combat these seemingly blurred lines, platforms like Instagram have specific ways that influencers should be disclosing of ad content to their followers.
Image Credits: Instagram.com
Public relations is field that is consistently growing and has much promise for corporations in the future. However, with these bribing practices, it seems like the focus on the perspectives and rights of the audience are dwindling, as corporations and media professionals take the upper hand. For PR professionals entering into this arena, it is important to remember a balance between what the public deserves to know and what companies and corporations can do. Even with these the fast-paced changes brought on by the modern, multi-faceted media terrain, ethics must be prioritized if PR should remain a reputable and respected field of work in the long run.
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