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Public Relations Professionals Respond to Tire Recall

19 September 2000

Public Relations Professionals Respond to Tire Recall

    CHICAGO--Sept.18, 2000--During a strategic public relations conference, sponsored by Ragan Communications Inc, a statement was issued today in Chicago regarding the ongoing media discussion of the public safety concerns caused by the Bridgestone/Firestone tire recall.
    An afternoon session titled, "Meeting of the Minds," was led by two leaders in the profession: Stephen D. Pisinski, Chair and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America, the world's largest organization for public relations professionals; and Charles Pizzo, Chair of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), a global network of professionals committed to improving organizational effectiveness through strategic communication that is integrated and interactive. The following statement was released at the conclusion of the meeting:

    Joint Statement

    "The public has a right to information relating to public safety. In an environment that is becoming increasingly transparent, corporations and institutions have an ethical responsibility to communicate the information the public needs to make informed decisions regarding the products it purchases.
    Recent efforts to publicly communicate essential information are to be applauded. The reported delay in getting important information to the public has already cost the companies involved far more than it should have.
    Companies that find themselves in a credibility crisis need to remember to communicate openly, accurately and in a timely fashion. Communication, not legal obfuscation, is what's called for in these situations."