By Sheku Putka Kamara

One of the challenges of public relations in present times is the reality that we still have people that may not have studied the profession, but are occupying strategic PR roles. That mismatch is sometimes difficult to comprehend clearly because, we still have some of such folks that’d equally not make the effort and be willing to learn. That’s where problematic agenda setting starts.

For most people, defending one’s institution ‘at all cost’ is their fundamental understanding of what public relations is all about. While that supposition is understood, it has also been my wish that we all come to the realization that falsity; misinformation and unwarranted postulations should have no place in the professional practice of public relations.

I have been tempted to pen these lines in line with my numerous other standpoints in so far as media and public relations could be concerned. It has to be made clearer that ‘public relations’ is not all about ‘defending.’ Even where people attempt to defend, my argument has been to ‘admit and defend.’ This is largely in line with principles of accuracy and factuality. Like I most times say, what is right is right and that which is wrong is wrong.

In Sierra Leone, a good number of PR persons are challenged because in the first place, most if not all of them are never a part of institutional top management. With that in mind, achieving PR objectives which is largely connected to achieving organizational objectives would almost always be difficult. If an organization is proactive about their image, they will likely be investing in positive public relations where a PR professional helps portray the brand’s reputation, idea, product, position, or accomplishments in a positive light. Sadly, this is really not the case for most institutions in Sierra Leone.

It is estimated that there are anywhere from 2.3 to 4.5 million public relations professionals globally (Muzi Falconi, 2006). They are assisting their organizations not only in building and maintaining multiple relationships at home-where organizations have their headquarters-, but also constructing and keeping those bridges abroad in other host locations and transnational environments-especially with activist groups, global media, and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). Interactive communication technologies and the activist groups that use them, also known as’ ’globalutionaries,” are increasing the complexity of global public relations practices (Wakefield, 2008, p. 151). Thus, “corporations and other mainstream entities are compelled to respond to global competition and to interest groups who can band together across borders and apply pressure in a given country or globally,” Wakefield (2008) stated (p. 139).

Here’s some room for some other argument, in Sierra Leone, my observation has it that there are ‘PR/Communication/Media’ people that have not studied anything on what actual ‘PR/Comms’ truly is. These people are making the challenge even more challenging. On a global scale, one needs to have attained a degree in PR at least to be made a PR person in any establishment. We cannot say the same for SL. So, we tend to be getting it wrong from the very start. Giving non-professionals jobs that they are not fit for is to me an open call to say ‘just do what you could. WE care LESS.’

I do not intend to write a thousand words and over, but let me remind us all that professionalism matters. That is what has informed the title of this brief narration. As communicators, we have to resist the temptations of always attempting to please pay masters at the expense of our personal integrities. Do not get me wrong. It is easier for someone to say and or suggest that Putka is or doing ABC because he is safe and or he’s on some XYZ level. That’s not it. I have a duty to practice what I preach and like I would almost always say, what is right is right and that which is wrong is wrong.

On another note, professionalism requires that PR persons fully understand institutional happenings. This is vital. For example, a PR person that is not part of top or middle management will find it constrained to be authoritative. This is indisputable. That is why efforts have to be made to be theoretically and practically knowledgeable. People do not have to beat systems just because they could or they are helped to do so. Like it is always said, the end will justify the means.

I will conclude by restating that factuality and actuality are essential ingredients in professional PR practice and quality agenda setting. Whatever negates that urge is defeatist and uncalculated. It may not be all that easy, but let us make efforts. With time, we’d get there.

Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Monday, December 18th, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)