The current payola scandals are harmful to the public relations profession. They are also bad for journalism.

And they only happen when both PR practitioners and journalists act unethically.

While the PRSA has released a statement on the issue, and while the organization’s Code of Ethics clearly prohibits payola, it occurred to us that many PR people may not be familiar with another, related code of ethics: that of the Society of Professional Journalists.

All PR practitioners — particularly those starting out — should read it and respect it. It represents the flip side of your interactions with the media.

Among other things, the code requires journalists to:

• Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
• Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
• Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
• Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
• Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.
• Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage.
• Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.

The full code is here.

Technorati tags: Journalism, PR, Public Relations, Marketing