Ethics in Public Relations

Odnosi s javnošću su profesija, industrija koja ima cilj zadovoljiti nekoliko strana: javnost, medije, poslodavca i etičke norme poslovanja. PR je prije svega komunikacijska struka te osigurava osobi ili poduzeću medijsku pozornost i kreira povoljan imidţ. Dakako, to nije osnovni cilj odnosa s javnošću – PR mora djelovati etički i moralno u komunikaciji izmeĎu poslodavca i javnosti. PR ima veliki utjecaj na novinarsku profesiju: novinari vijesti objavljuju na temelju informacija koje su proizašle od stručnjaka za odnose s javnošću. Stručnjaci za odnose s javnošću ureĎuju, kreiraju i aţuriraju svoje mailing liste, pišu izvještaje za medije, tiskaju promotivne materijale te organiziraju razne dogaĎaje poput javnih skupova ili press konferencija. Javnost je često nezadovoljna i sumnja u iskrenost medija i PR-stručnjaka. Nemaju povjerenje, sumnjičavi su jer su naviknuti na negativnosti i nepravdu u drugim aspektima ţivota i globalnog svijeta, pa to primjenjuju i na medijsko djelovanje. Najviše kritiziraju manipuliranje podatcima te potkupljivost medija i pojedinaca. Što nas dovodi do pitanja etičkih normi kojih se PR-ovci moraju pridrţavati. Svi mediji, pa zajedno s njima i PR-stručnjaci moraju u svom djelovanju biti iskreni, društveno odgovorni, socijalno osjetljivi, pošteni, pravedni i poštivati ljudska prava i ugled. Krivično djelo klevete prema Kaznenom zakonu bio je kaţnjiv novčanom ili zatvorskom kaznom, sve dok se 2006. godine zakon nije izmijenio na način da se kleveta kaţnjava sa novčanom kaznom ili društveno korisnim radom. Ukoliko se kazna ne bi podmirila u zakonskom roku te ukoliko se ista ne moţe naplatiti iz bilo kojeg razloga, klevetniku se propisuje društveno korisni rad. Rupa u zakonu Republike Hrvatske, točnije vrhovnog akta Ustava, pronalazi se u činjenici kako se osobu koja je tehnički na slobodi ne moţe prisiliti na propisani rad.Public Relations is a profession, an industry that has to satisfy a number of parties: the public, the media, the employer and the ethical standards of business. PR is primarily the communications profession and provides media attention and creates a good image for their employers. Of course, this is not the fundamental objective of public relations - the PR must act ethically and morally in communication between the employer and the public. PR has a big influence on the journalistic profession: journalists publish news on the basis of information that comes from public relations experts. Public relations experts edit, create and update their mailings lists, write media reports, print promotional materials, and organize various events such as public gatherings or press conferences. The public is often dissatisfied and doubts the honesty of the media and PR experts. They have no confidence, are suspicious because they got used to the negativity and injustice in other aspects of life, so they also apply it to media activities. They are most critical about the manipulation of data and the bribability of the media and individuals. What brings us to the issue of ethical norms that PRs must adhere. All media, and together with them, PR experts must in their actions be honest, socially responsible and sensitive, fair, just and respectful of human rights and others' reputation. The criminal offense of Defamation in accordance with the Criminal Code was punishable by a fines or imprisonment, until in 2006 the law was amended by punishing the slander by a fine or community work. If the punishment would not be settled within the legal deadline and if it cannot be charged for any reason, the offender is punished with community work. The hole in the Croatian Criminal law, and as well as in the supreme Constitutional law, is to be found in the fact that the person (offender) that is technically at liberty cannot be forced to the prescribed community work