Archive for the 'PR Licensing' Category

You got a license for that release?

Jonathan Richardson October 8th, 2006

PR Week reports this week that Harold Burson, founder of Burson Marsteller, has shifted from his previous position and is now in favor of licensing in the PR profession. According to the article, Burson believes licensing “would overcome the derogatory manner in which we are depicted in the news media.”

Am I missing something here? Since when has licensing ever rooted out the problems of a profession? Think about law and the constant scrutiny its practitioners bear. I know many lawyers that are upstanding citizens in their community and beacons of light in their profession. Nevertheless, there are also those whose lapses in ethical or moral judgment tarnish the profession: a profession with high barriers to entry and licensing requirements.

Practitioners should stop thinking about how to create external methods to justify positions and practices, and start focusing internally on personal ethics and the integrity of their organizations. Rather than searching for the best band-aid to cover our wounds, let’s stop hurting our profession by falling on the stakes of mistrust and ineptitude to start with.

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