Conflicts of Interest in Many Forms

Kayla Ramsey

kr060616@ohio.edu 

            

News outlets, public relations firms and advertising companies have the potential to come across conflict of interests. Within each, conflicts of interests can look different.

According to the readings, public relations and advertising firms come across different forms of conflict of interest all the time. For example, if a firm is working with two large companies who specialize in the same thing, it would be considered a conflict of interest. Let's say I am an account manager at a public relations firm in New York City, and I am in charge of managing the social media and communications of Starbucks. If one day I took on another large coffee company as a client, lets' just say Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks might not only be concerned, but discontinue working with my firm. Starbucks could be wary about working with me,  thinking I am possibly sharing company media secrets to Dunkin' Donuts, ruining their future advertising and marketing campaigns. 

Picture source: Berkley.edu

However, most public relations and advertising forms purposefully do not take on competing clients because they do not want any question of loyalty to the original company they are working for. Many times, if a client is questioning the loyalty or dishonesties of the firm, they can discontinue the partnership, which publicly embarrassed the firm and promotes distrust to future clients.

In media outlets, conflicts of interest can look similar, but also a little different. For example, pretend I am a local news reporter. A small restaurant reaches out to me and asks if I would be willing to do a segment on their food, and in return, they will pay me $100 under the table. They say their business has been slow and it would mean the world to them if I told viewers it was the best meal I have ever had. However, my family has owned a restaurant in the same city for years. This reporting would be a conflict of interest in many ways. The fact that my family owns a restaurant would give viewers a questionable reaction as to why I would be promoting another restaurant. Not only is this unethical, but an example of a conflict of interest.

According to the readings, the main ways to handle conflicts of interests is to completely avoid them at all costs. Conflicts of interest quite often create messy and negative business relations for all involved. To help avoid these conflicts in the first place, PRSA's code explains that "a member shall act in the best interest of the employer even subordinating the member's personal interest". A a public relations, advertising or journalism professional, these rules are key to follow to maintain good business practice.