Rick Chambers & Associates, LLC
Strategic Communications
  • Home
  • What We Offer
  • Guiding Values
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Contact Us

Fretting the Future of the Fourth Estate

8/20/2012

 
Picture
Image: Freedigitalphotos.net
Some years ago, I had the good fortune to work alongside talented author Joseph Heywood. We both served in public relations for a large company. I recall a day when several of us were on coffee break—such luxuries were possible once upon a time—and we were grousing about the latest boneheaded move by a since-forgotten journalist.

(Reporters, of course, do this about PR people, as did I in my journalism days. It seems I’m an equal-opportunity whiner.)

While Joe agreed with our complaints, he made a pointed comment that stuck with me ever since:

“Thank God for a free press.”

Indeed. And that’s why I’m worried today.

The Pew Research Center released a survey that showed a significant decline in credibility ratings of major news organizations. In the last decade alone, the public’s confidence in news coverage has declined on average from 71 percent positive believability to a tepid 56 percent. Local TV news continues to be the most believable, though that group reaches only 65 percent.

Why the fall-off? The reasons are legion. News coverage is anemic and often inaccurate due to slashed budgets and staffs. Marketing and entertainment wield too much influence on the reporting side. Recent examples of unethical behavior have tarnished the profession. And on and on….

What bothers me a great deal is the way some institutions, particularly political ones, are using the plight of the Fourth Estate to further weaken its role.

A few weeks back, I blogged about the push by the Barack Obama and Mitt Romney campaigns to review quotes before publication—and the appalling fact that some news organizations had agreed to allow it. Thankfully, a number of them have since backed away.

Yet we read about it again, this time in relation to Vice President Joe Biden. As his many gaffes have shown, Mr. Biden is his own worst enemy. Apparently his handlers agree. Check out this reference in an article by Jonathan Martin at Politico.com:

"[R]eporters were hustled out of retail campaign stops in diners and other intimate settings, aides tried to edit media pool reports for any potential landmines that could be seized on by Republicans and even hovered at close range to eavesdrop on journalists’ conversations with attendees at Biden rallies."

This strikes me as the kind of stuff one might have seen in the days of Communist Russia.

As the Fourth Estate struggles through an unprecedented time of change, the role of public relations in helping reporters get the right information to report accurately and objectively is more important than ever. Instances like the Biden situation only serve to slowly strangle one of our nation’s basic freedoms.

We must hold journalists to the highest ethical standards. Same for those who work with them.



Comments are closed.
    Picture

    Rick Chambers

    Rick is the owner and president of Rick Chambers & Associates, LLC.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

    Categories

    All
    Accuracy
    Code Of Ethics
    Communication Ammo
    Communications
    Digital News
    Fairness
    Firefly
    Integrity
    Internal Communication
    Lie
    Loyalty
    Matt Friedman
    Media Relations
    Pr
    Print News
    Prsa
    Public Relations
    Radiance
    Recognition
    Sean Williams
    Serenity
    Spin
    Star Trek
    Star Trek Phase Ii
    Tanner Friedman
    Truth

    RSS Feed

About Us

Rick Chambers & Associates, LLC, brings a solid track record of strategic, diverse, objective-based communications and public relations services. RC&A works closely with clients to understand their business, develop stakeholder relationships, build meaningful dialogue and help share their stories effectively.

Picture
Rick Chambers & Associates, LLC
1514 Kingsbury Drive
Portage, MI 49002-1664
USA
269.873.5820
info@rickchambersassociates.com