I finally got a chance to watch “Spotlight” this weekend. As a former police reporter, I sympathized with the Boston Globe team’s anguish over the impact of the story, their loss of faith and their empathy for the abuse victims.
The movie did an excellent job of exploring the role of investigative reporting as a business model and as a voice for its readers. It’s become fashionable to blame the media for failing to offer balanced news and information. And, it’s a business shrinking faster than any other right now.
But just imagine a world without reporters, without a team of dedicated journalists who refuse to let a story die, who won’t give up in the face of endless bureaucracy, stonewalling and outright lies.
What if Curt Guyette and Ron Fonger gave up following the lead levels in Flint’s water system?
What if Chad Livengood had dismissed those recordings of Todd Courser?
What if M.L. Elrick and Jim Schaefer hadn’t dogged Kwame Kilpatrick?
What if no one had written a single line about Ricky Holland, the little boy who died at the hands of his adoptive parents?
I’m thankful for those hard-nosed, bulldogged reporters who won’t let a story die. It might seem like a strange position for a public relations professional. After all, I’ve been on the receiving end of those dogged reporters.
But I understand the power of the press and its role in a democracy. It’s truly frightening to see the number of reporters declining so dramatically and the press contracting. Without a strong, well-trained cadre of journalists acting in the role of watchdog, democracy is at risk.
Yes, this is a PR professional saying that I want those reporters asking questions and sharing stories about wrongdoing. This PR professional has a deep respect for their work. I was trained as a journalist first, well before my career in public relations. I take the responsibility of the press to act as the Fourth Estate very seriously.
Effective media relations –a sound public relations strategy – won’t cover up or gloss over bad management and illegal actions. Sure, it’s not fun being on the end of those questions, and I don’t enjoy seeing stories critical of the organization I represent.
Public Relations Society of America ethical guidelines encourage the free flow of information without compromising proprietary or confidential information. It can be summed up in a very short rule I was taught by a long-time PR pro: You lie; you die – at least professionally.
I’ve felt anguish when I could not share confidential information with a reporter asking legitimate questions, and I have always explained why I could not answer fully and honestly. It’s a very uncomfortable position to be in, especially if the reporter becomes hostile.
But the alternative – a democracy without the Fourth Estate – is something I dread even more.
Image from Flickr Creative Commons: Artur Czachowski Photostream
Writer and Raconteur 