PR, Journalism, and Law – News Corp’s Situation Storified

Lawyers and law firms have a complex relationship with journalism and public relations, I’d say: control, reputation, social positioning — power, if you will — all these can intersect in interesting ways for this trio of influence- and word-mongers. The recent brouhaha in Britain over the News of the World and Murdoch’s News Corp. phone hacking mess illustrates some of the less happy aspects of this interaction. Normally, we here at Slaw would be more focused on the legalities; but I think it’s enlightening, for a change, to look at this scandal from the public relations point of view, and that as seen from a journalist’s perspective.

Take a look at a story by Jay Rosen, who teaches journalism at New York University and runs the Pressthink blog. Rosen asks the question of PR folks: Would you risk your firm’s reputation by telling News Corp.’s side of the story? Interestingly, he explores this question using Storify, a website that lets you combine bits of microblogging into something more sustained and intelligible, in this case posts on Twitter by people in the PR business, with his set-up and commentary as mortar.

Right away you can see a parallel between PR and legal practice: are there clients your firm would decline because of the impact on its reputation? And during the “conversation” you’ll hear echoes of law: “everyone is entitled to have their side of the story told” (really? asks Rosen). Can you work with a client who lies to you? Etc.

As the second oldest profession in the world (perhaps), law sometimes likes to think that it’s… unique. And, of course, in some ways it is. But at the same time, it shares a great deal with other professions that seek to influence and… deal with the truth, shall we say. The interchange Rosen captures reminds me, at least, of that fact.