PR Stereotypes: The Undercover Manipulators

This week, I decided to explore and comment on blogs that brought up PR’s position in entertainment. As a PR major, it is not encouraging to hear that many view celebrity publicists as conniving manipulators who provide distortions of the truth to the media. I researched a blog that talked about what the work of a celebrity publicist entails, and found it to be a principal stereotype as to why they are, or can be perceived this way. The second blog applauded the PR industry, or who the NY Times dubbed the PR rock star, and felt much better about embracing a PR job in entertainment.

First blog comment:
This is a good example as to why some celebrity publicists are perceived negatively in the public eye. The term "flacks" was mentioned in this post as a nickname for the publicist, and to my understanding it means "to serve as a press agent." As a journalism major, there is a guideline called the Code of Ethics that we like to follow. Nowhere in it dos it state to give the media false or made up information about a person, place or event. I do however, understand that working for a celebrity has, in some circumstances, no barriers and that the main objective is to make sure one's client is not portrayed in a negative light. Isn’t there a way to get rid of the stereotype of celebrity publicists as manipulators who spend most of their time "misdirecting" the public?

Second blog comment:
After reading this post, it makes me excited to begin my PR career. It is pleasing to read up on how successful a particular PR firm is doing knowing that its employees take pride in their job. Since my emphasis in PR is entertainment, and many people believe PR in this industry to be glamorous, they do need to realize that it consists of a lot of strategic planning and hard work. 5W's values and work ethics are a great reflection as to why this firm is doing so well. To me, it seems difficult to receive credibility and a certain amount of trust in regards to PR in entertainment, therefore making it more challenging for the PR professional to be taken seriously. Hollywood has its many facades and the work put into PR should not be one of them.