Journalists still think PR pros are liars

A recent study revealed that the spin-doctor stereotype is alive and well, with reporters and bloggers sharing how often they’ve been lied to.

By Kevin J. Allen
June 8, 2015

It’s a stereotype associated with public relations that all practitioners hate: PR isn’t always on the level.

Like most stereotypes, a dubious minority have given the majority (comprised largely of honest, talented folks) a bad name.

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But most importantly, do journalists think PR people are dishonest?

That’s what a new study sought to find out.

D S Simon published the results, titled “The D S Simon Media Influencers Report,” which revealed that 90 percent of digital journalists say a PR pro has lied to them. Sixty-eight percent say that PR pros lie to them “sometimes,” and 20 percent say they’ve been lied to “often.”

Good news, though—only three percent of digital journalists think that PR pros “always” lie to them. Bloggers, however, have a bit more cynical view, with seven percent saying that PR pros always lie to them.

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