In the war over credibility, everyone loses

Journalism and its synergistic twin, public relations, have taken a beating over the history of American politics. But none more so than during the last four years, culminating with the premeditated attack on the U.S. Capitol and American democracy on Wednesday. It’s a sad state of affairs when the media and its front line of reporters are taking constant and life-threatening hits like a punching bag as was chronicled in a Sunday New York Times story.

The war on news credibility got very ugly last Wednesday. Facts mean little and perception is everything. Reported news must be weighed constantly against amateur, dangerous opinions across social media. And even the once proud news media itself has at times lost its soul to rumor innuendo and its own version of “gotcha politics.”

The PR profession must take some responsibility for the degradation of media credibility over this period. We’ve too often allowed our persuasive communication skills to be usurped to promote messages untested for veracity; or worse, stood silent while we’re used as simple conduits of misinformation. We sadly even joke amongst ourselves as being “the dark side” of journalism.