Conflicts of Interest in Media and Public Relations

Hannah Schie
hs538514@ohio.edu

As a journalist, maintaining neutrality in varying situations is very important. The general public expects a journalist to be as unbiased as possible and follow the ethical guidelines set by their job description and job field. Along with the many ethical dilemmas journalists face on a daily basis, a conflict of interest or the possible existence of a conflict of interest, could end a career.

An ethical journalist will follow the codes set forth by the Society of Professional Journalists to the best of their ability. One of the codes clearly states that a journalist should "avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose unavoidable conflicts." A conflict of interest may be as simple as reporting on a story about climate change while volunteering for environmental groups in your private life.

Do Conflicts of Interest Relate to Media Trust?

If an audience senses a conflict between a network and its sponsors or a reporter and an outside occupation, their trust in that media outlet may decrease. If the audience decides an outlet has a conflict of interest, whether or not they actually do, the viewer will find a new source to gather their information from.

The Obama Administration was constantly under fire for having many connections to specific news outlets like ABC, CBS and CNN. Many reporters or commentators on their programs were in some way related to an administrative official within the administration, whether it was by marriage or genetics.

Although many of these professionals did not let their private interests and familial relationships conflict with their occupation and the stories they covered, the relations did not sit well with many viewers on the right side of the political spectrum. The blame often fell on the media for possibly skewing their reporting of the Obama White House due to these connections.

Received from clemson.edu

Conflicts of Interest and Public Relations

Within the branch of journalism that is public relations, conflicts of interest are a large concern. There are various forms, including conflicts between clients, personal interests and receiving gifts or rewards beyond a salary from clients. In public relations, the appearance of a conflict of interest is enough for someone to assume there is one.

There are a few ways to handle conflicts of interest within this field of work, with the first being to avoid them if at all possible. If a conflict does arise, disclosure and recusal are two main ways to settle it. Before you begin your work, it is best to disclose any possible conflicts of interest to your boss or department so they are aware. If you do this, they will know to not assign you to a story or report that may cause ethical issues.

Another way to mitigate conflict is to recuse yourself from the situation. If there is a conflict, you must abstain from involving yourself in a story or investigation where you do not feel you could remain ethical.

Along with recusal and disclosure, following the code of ethics for the specific occupation and branch of journalism will help an ethical journalist avoid conflict.