PR pros need more than political correctness to survive

Major shake-ups in newsrooms, along with promises of more diversity and sensitivity, signal major changes for the PR industry.

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If sunlight is the best disinfectant, then the wave of apologies and firings in the media should be great news for the public and the pursuit of truth.

The changes in leadership positions at The New York Times, Refinery29, Philadelphia Inquirer, Bon Appetit and others, along with promises of more diversity and sensitivity in journalism, also signal major changes for the public relations industry.

The backlash against racist headlines and jokes, editorials promoting views that advocate violence towards protesters, along with the anger and shame regarding discriminatory hiring practices, gained unstoppable momentum after the nationwide protests this past month in the wake of the George Floyd death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

The media has changed for good, and for the common good.

But for PR practitioners, the transformations will be greater for the messages rather than the messengers, and here’s why.

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