Approaching Ethical Crisis Communication with Accuracy and Sensitivity: Exploring Common Ground and Gaps between Journalism and Public Relations
Through 40 in-depth interviews with media professionals, this study explores: 1) how media professionals approach ethical crisis communication and stakeholder engagement and 2) media professionals’ views of organizational crisis communication. Findings revealed participants’ descriptions of ethic...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Insitute for Public Relations
2015-04-01
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| Series: | Public Relations Journal |
| Online Access: | https://prjournal.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2015v09n01AustinJin.pdf |
| Summary: | Through 40 in-depth interviews with media professionals, this study explores: 1) how
media professionals approach ethical crisis communication and stakeholder
engagement and 2) media professionals’ views of organizational crisis communication.
Findings revealed participants’ descriptions of ethical approaches, major ethical tenets
they practiced, and levels of ethical obligations or guidance. Participants spoke of
ethical approaches as rule-based, balanced or utilitarian, or situational. Most followed
major ethical guidelines for crisis reporting, such as respect, objectivity/neutrality,
sensitivity, empathy/compassion, accuracy, timeliness, verification of facts/sources,
honesty, and transparency, with a strong focus on public interest. Participants
mentioned obligations and guidance from their own moral compasses, organizations or
newsrooms, schooling, professions, and communities and stakeholders. Findings
indicate that crises represent unique situations for ethical communication and
stakeholder engagement. Participants suggested that relationships with public relations
professionals in times of crisis could be improved by receiving more complete, timely,
and accurate information from organizations. |
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| ISSN: | 1942-4604 1942-4604 |