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One of the results of the interminable coverage of the O.J. Simpson murder trial has been an increase in the cynicism of many people regarding the service lawyers render in representing the interests of their clients. To many, it appears that lawyers are concerned not about justice, but only about getting their client "off." Many people view attorneys as highly paid advocates willing to ignore the greater public interest in an effort to find some means that will enable rich and/or famous clients to take "advantage" of the system.
Although I have been one who has consistently and vigorously disagreed with those who attempt to equate the role played by the attorney in a court room to that of a public relations practitioner in the so-called court of public opinion, I do believe a number of ethical issues central to the question of client representation that were raised in the Simpson trial do have applicability to public relations. While there are several considerations that could be examined in this regard, in this article I want to address only one: Whether public relations practitioners act ethically if they demonstrate a preference - partiality toward, perhaps a better phrase - the concerns of clients relative to those of other persons and/or interests.
It needs to be emphasized immediately that I will not be considering whether the practitioner can represent client interest at direct expense to the interests of significant others or of the general public interest. I have addressed such questions previously. In one article, for example, I went so far as to argue that even "enlightened" self interest fails as an ethical baseline in public relations,(1) and in another that the ethical public relations practitioner must not ignore the public interest.(2)
Nevertheless, organizations do look to public relations practitioners to represent their interests. One might suggest, in fact, that few would see any reason to secure the services of a public relations practitioner if the practitioner believed it would be unethical to represent client or management interests. Bayles, in his book Professional Ethics, notes that professionals generally "are hired by clients to protect and promote their interests...(and as a consequence professionals) must be loyal to their clients."(3) While one can seriously question whether - at this...