Roles, responsibilities, and responses: The intersection of journalism and public relations in the Armstrong Williams, McManus and Gallagher, and 'El Nuevo Herald' ethics controversies

Three controversies have served as catalysts for a renewed public and professional debate about responsibilities and accountability in journalism and public relations: (a) Armstrong Williams, a commentator who was paid to promote the U.S. Department of Education's No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; (b) Maggie Gallagher and Michael McManus, two columnists who failed to disclose possible conflicts of interest stemming from contracts with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and (c) El Nuevo Herald, the Spanish-language Miami newspaper that fired reporters who had been paid to appear on the U.S. government's Radio Marti.;This study examined the roles, ethical responsibilities, and responses and consequences in the three controversies through thematic analysis of newspaper and trade articles. Self-identification as well as media identification of the roles of the parties involved indicated that the professional communicators in each situation had a multiplicity of roles and self-selected roles based on their own perceptions and criteria rather than on public or professional definitions of those roles. In addition, the communicators prioritized roles, privileging some responsibilities over others. All of the professional codes of ethics analyzed (i.e., Public Relations Society of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and National Association of Government Communicators) had similar tenets that could have offered guidance to the professional communicators in each case on issues such as disclosure, conflict of interest, and transparency. The response from the professional community indicated concern for the changing landscape of journalism and public relations ethics but was disproportionate to the professional and reputational consequences for those involved.;These issues were at the forefront of the public discussion that took place about these controversies and crystallized the public perception about the state of journalism and public relations ethics. In each instance, the public was made aware of an ethical breach by one or all of the parties involved. In response, journalists and public relations practitioners engaged in public conversations about the state of the public relations field and the numerous issues facing the profession.