Ethical Issues are Raised by the Scenario
In consideration of the PRSA Code of Ethics, several ethical issues are raised by the scenario. This document stipulates that a public relation professional should observe the values of advocacy, honesty, independence, expertise, loyalty as well as fairness (PRSA, 2018). Advocacy is about acting as responsible advocates for those you represent, for the interest of the public. The information to be released relates to the public’s health concerns and should thus be validated by reliable sources, but this is not the case. Releasing such information is irresponsible and undermines advocacy. The public needs to know the truth about the products and services they consume. This information is not accurate because the manufacturer has merely had limited communication with the U.S. Olympic committee which does not include the latter’s expression about the drink’s health attributes. A member’s sentiments cannot be representative of the whole committee, which undermines honesty. The information to be released is not objective because it is exaggerated and does not represent the truth. It thus goes against the ethics of independence. The company will not be faithful to their client because the information they plan to provide to the public would not be the latter's idea. There is also no fairness in such information because it has a negative impact on the client, employers, competitors, peers, vendors, the media as well as the general public.
How to Handle the Situation
This is a tough situation as it puts one between a rock and a hard place. As a subordinate to the boss, one is expected to carry out orders as stipulated (Persons, 2008). The boss expects the news release to contain all the information as stated without any alterations. On the other hand, giving out such information goes against the professional code of conduct relating to disclosure of information. As a professional, It is advisable to politely remind the boss that the firm is expected to be honest and accurate in all communications, correct any erroneous information by members and avoid any deceptive practices, which are among the stipulated guidelines by the PRSA. Following such orders would amount to breaking all these rules. It is also recommendable to go through a copy of the PRSA code of ethics with the boss hoping that this will provide a strong ground to dissuade him/her from insisting on making the news release in the form that he/she proposes (Persons, 2008). If he/she does not see reason and insists on making the news release in this deceptive form, it is better to decline from making the news release.
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Why Handle the Situation this Way?
First, it is important to stick to professionalism because the public relations profession is guided by the values of advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty, and fairness, which lay the foundation for all its members on how to conduct themselves in discharging their duties (Treadwell & Treadwell, 2005). These values should offer the standards for the practice, and any decisions should be made regarding them to protect the profession as well as the industry. Secondly, it is important for one to agree with their bosses on the best course of action. The news release should reflect what both agree upon so that the two are accountable for any consequences. It is good to be responsible for something that you can own up to. It would be dishonest to make a news release and later when there is something wrong about it; you blame your boss for it. Thirdly, it is better to refuse to make a news release that is faulty, rather than waiting until later on, because the damage will have already been done. Lastly, it is the responsibility of all members to correct a member when they are making erroneous decisions.
References
Parsons, P. (2008). Ethics in public relations: A guide to best practice (6 th ed.). Kogan Page
PRSA (2018). Code of Ethics. Accessed 10 December 2018. Retrieved from:
https://www.prsa.org/ethics/code-of-ethics/
Treadwell, D., & Treadwell, J. B. (2005). Public relations writing: Principles in practice
(6 th ed.). SAGE.
