홍준표 의원과, 한나라당 덕분에:) 세 차례(첫번째, 두번째, 세번째)에 걸쳐, 스핀닥터에 대해 공부했는데요. 어제는 대우재단의 이승봉 위원님(관련 포스팅 하나, 둘, 셋)께서 친절하게 제가 잠시 언급했던 Robert Dilenschneider의 칼럼 원본을 타이핑해서 보내주셨습니다. 딱 10년 전인, 1998년 6월 1일 The Wall Street Journal에 그가 쓴 칼럼 'Spin Doctors' Practice Public Relations Quackery인데요. 이 글을 읽으면서 몇 가지 밑줄 그은 부분을 여기에 인용합니다.
/ 스핀이라는 단어가 1988년 타임지에 의해 만들어졌다는 점이 먼저 흥미로왔구요.
/ Spin을 굳이 positioning이나 framing과 구분하자면, fact에 기반하고 있는가 아닌가로 볼 수 있겠습니다.
/ PR을 하는 사람에게 기본적인 사항일 수 있겠지만, 마지막에 그가 열거한 세 가지 단계(steps)는 다시 한 번 읽어볼만 합니다.
물론, 이 글을 읽을 때, PR에 대한 그의 이러한 방어는 그가 뉴욕에서 PR회사를 운영하는 PR인이었다는 점도 우리가 고려해야 할 것입니다.
저로서는 원래의 칼럼을 직접 확인할 수 있어 의미있었습니다. 다시 한 번, 이렇게 좋은 자료를 알려주신 이승봉 위원님께 감사 인사 올립니다.
"The term “spin” was coined by Time magazine in 1988, and it referred then to the ability of politicians to position themselves cleverly on complex and controversial issues. In today’s parlance, spin stands for fabrication: Spin doctors try to alter the facts through a deliberate and reckless disregard for the truth. Spin is public relations what pornography is to art. I find it offensive and destructive to my profession. That’s why I feel so strongly that it should be repudiated and stamped out."
Spin aims to promote a point of view at any cost, regardless of the facts. Mr. Clinton’s spin doctors, like the rest of their kind, do whatever it takes to get their message out—confuse the issue, change the subject, attack the president’s critics......
......Credibility is built in trust, not tricks or deception. And since public relations messages are carried primarily by news people, who zealously protect their credibility, it‘s not wise to try to deceive or manipulate.
If spin isn't an acceptable way out for a company or public official under fire for alleged wrongdoing, then what is? Ethical public relations is essentially a positive effort to communicate key messages to the public truthfully. Through research, hard work, creativity and strong, credible relationships with the media, a sustained public relations program can build a positive public image for a client, and it can help limit damage caused by accidents or misadventure.
How to build a sound, ethical public relations program depends on the circumstances, but there are three fundamental steps:
● Compile all of the relevant facts and lay them out to your public relations team. They can't help you without knowing the full story. Most of the time it's vest to expose all the negative facts as quickly as possible to avoid letting the press or the opposition uncover them and dribble them out day after day.
● If you or your company made a mistake, exhibited poor judgment or behaved badly, be ready to admit it and accept responsibility. Most often, this is the only way to put bad situation behind you so that you can carry forward a positive agenda.
● Outline a program of steps to ensure that the mistake, poor judgment or bad behavior will not happen again. This changes the story from misdeeds to reform and rehabilitation.
It's a cliche, but one that politicians and spin doctors too often forget: Honesty is the best policy.
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