Message from the President (April 2012)
“To conduct myself professionally, with truth, accuracy, fairness and responsibility to the public; To improve my individual competence and advance the knowledge and proficiency of the profession through continuing research and education.”
– From the PRSA Member Code of Ethics Pledge
Two of the most often cited benefits of PRSA Alaska Chapter membership are professional development and networking. But perhaps the aspect of membership with the most ability to impact the reputation of our profession is our Code of Ethics. Before you stop reading, concerned this is an “eat your vegetables” edition of the newsletter, consider whether you’d like to be known as an ethical or unethical practitioner of public relations.
One of our chapter goals for the year gets at this question: “Increase community knowledge and understanding of PRSA as an organization with standards and ethics.” As a PRSA member, do you feel comfortable with your knowledge and application of the code? Are we as a chapter community able to articulate what it means to be an ethical PR professional?
If your answer is “not yet,” take a first step by reading the ethical scenario and questions below from PRSA Alaska Chapter Ethics Officer Michelle Egan. Then consult the Code and send in your answer for a chance to both test your ethics know-how and win a pair of movie tickets. You’ll have this opportunity monthly to become even more familiar with our Code of Ethics.
Another members-only opportunity this month comes in the form of a partnership with the Alaska Press Club. For the second consecutive year, the PRSA Alaska Chapter is sponsoring a networking event for journalists and public relations professionals as part of the Press Club’s annual conference. See below for more information about the April 20 opportunity for PRSA Alaska Chapter members to connect with our journalism colleagues from around the state.
Consider taking advantage of these two members-only benefits this month to improve your ethics acumen and connect with our community. Please accept my thanks for all you do as a public relations professional and as a PRSA Alaska Chapter member. I hope to see you at a chapter event in April!
Best,
Kirsten Schultz
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Crack the Code
Test your knowledge of the PRSA Code of Ethics and be entered to win movie tickets
The PRSA Code of Ethics is an important guide all PR professionals should know and apply to their practice. To encourage a deeper understanding of the Code, PRSA Alaska Chapter will present an ethics question in the monthly newsletter and hold a prize drawing for respondents at monthly luncheons.
To be entered to win two Fandango movie tickets, answer the following question by emailing michelle.egan@alyeska-pipeline.com and attend the April 12 meeting to see if you win.
“You are conducting a focus group to determine which elements of your upcoming PR campaign are most effective. You want the participants’ responses to be natural and authentic. You have set up a comfortable environment where they can be free to express their views. You also want to be able to refer back to their comments when finalizing your campaign. Is it legal and ethical to record the focus group? Which provisions of the Code would guide your decision regarding how to handle recording?”
Remember to email your answer to michelle.egan@alyeska-pipeline.com and attend the April 12 luncheon to be entered to win movie tickets.
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Network with Journalists at PRSA Members-Only Alaska Press Club Event
Journalists and public relations professionals are both communicators by trade. As information sharing is done more increasingly online, face-to-face relationships are still essential for both professions to do their jobs well.
Join members of the Alaska Press Club and PRSA Alaska for a networking luncheon to put faces with names, meet the newest members of the journalism community and reconnect with veterans of the trade.
Location: UAA, Rasmuson Hall Atrium
Who: PRSA members
Date: Friday, April 20
Time: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cost: $15
The Alaska Press Club is also offering seats to PRSA Alaska members to attend a conversation with Neal Conan, host of National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation.” Conan will lead a discussion focusing on good interviewing techniques and skills. Conan brings three decades of news and radio experience to the show, which reaches 3.4 million listeners a week on more than 300 NPR member stations.
Location: UAA, Rasmuson Hall
Who: PRSA members
Date: Saturday, April 21
Time: 12:45 p.m.
Cost: $15
Reserve your seat on Cvent here.
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