PRSA's "Pay for Play" Measures Not Good Enough

Kudos to the Public Relations Society of America for updating its Code of Ethics to require greater transparency with regard to "pay for play," the exchange of products, services or any inducement that encourages a journalist to provide editorial coverage.

Notably absent, though, in PRSA's new guidelines is any mention of the thousands upon thousands of quasi-journalists -- bloggers and other online influentials -- who hold sway over an increasing percentage of the opinion-seeking population.

The vast majority of bloggers have no Code of Ethics . . . they're just highly engaged, mostly well-intentioned individuals whose interest or passion for a particular subject has led them to a position of influence most never sought or envisioned. They don't know it's wrong to accept freebies, even if there's no quid pro quo requested or implied.

PR professionals should know better. In fact, most do. But to protect the profession from a handful of rotten apples, PRSA should put more teeth in its Code to address to address the potential abuse of the continually evolving digital landscape.

Who Do You Trust?

A recent Neilsen study shows user-generated content vaulted into second place behind recommendations from a friend in terms of trusted sources of consumer information. And brand websites, along with other forms of company-driven communication like TV ads and sponsorships, are making gains, suggesting a softening in overall consumer skepticism.

But the news isn't all positive. Newspapers were the only information source that saw a decline in trust, down 2% since 2007. And while they each saw modest increases the past two years, search result ads (41%), online banner ads (33%) and mobile text ads (24%) still languish well behind their traditional brethren.

The implications for PR pros? If you aren't already fully engaged in social media, this study illustrates the incredible power of online word-of-mouth. And don't overlook the good ol' company website as an opportunity to inform consumers seeking more detailed information.

Silence Speaks Volumes in Digital Age

I was tied up in meetings this morning when the news broke about Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest on corruption charges.

But apparently I wasn't the last hear about it. That distinction may belong to the governor's spoksesperson, Lucio Guerrero, who responded to press inquiries by saying, "Haven't heard anything -- you are first to call."

In this age of instant information, such a response is beyond mind-boggling. Even before mainstream media were reporting the day's events, blogs like The Smoking Gun and Gapers Block were spreading the news based only on heresay and rumor. By the time the U.S. Attorney's office held its press conference at 11 a.m. Central, word had spread all over the globe . . . and still no comment from the Governor's office.

Now, Blago may be guilty as hell, as the evidence disclosed thus far might suggest. Regardless, this episode demonstrates the critical importance of harnassing the power of digital media to get your message out in the wake of a crisis. 'Cause these days, the news waits for no one.