Fake news has always been in the picture, but the digital age has greatly increased its impact. From fake news sites to unqualified sources of fake stories, all of these fraudulent activities are a serious threat to the Public Relations (PR) industry.
If it is vital for public relations firms to ethically persuade target audiences to their clients, then protecting the trust of the public and the media from being eroded by fake news also becomes part of their inescapable duty. Public relations professionals must understand that their profession will survive only when good journalism thrives. For this reason, public relations experts need to be more critical of this issue and hold them more accountable to tackle this fake news issue with the utmost seriousness and dedication like never before.
And here are the various ways you can do it:
Carry on the real news: Public relations professionals and experts need to realize that there is much more to just securing a blockbuster. The first priority of any PR agency should be to deliver real news that, in turn, provides real value to both journalists and readers. Professionals working in public relations firms must take much more responsibility for the spokespersons and the stories they are endorsing. The more authentic the story, the better the chances of securing great coverage and the relationships in the media industry become much healthier and safer.
Use the real and authentic sources: It is true that a mention in the success story will gain great exposure for the brand, but using the news hijacking tool as an excuse to offer unqualified spokespersons is unethical. Clearly keep in mind that it is the deep experience and knowledge of the particular industry that could broaden the scope of public knowledge. This is the only way to take full advantage of media opportunities and create a win-win situation for both PR and journalism.
Use contacts only for good: Anyone who works in the public relations industry is familiar with the fact that fake news has more power to spread easily. They spread easily, but when the falsehood is revealed, the reputation and image of the industry as a whole suffers. Therefore, being a dedicated PR professional working in the industry, it becomes a necessity to dismantle it as soon as possible. Public relations professionals should not wait for others to bring about change, but should instead discourage fake news among their media contacts and help ensure that journalism is free of unnecessary junk and clutter.
