When PR is the problem.

I read with extreme disappointment over the weekend from Gerald Baron about FEMA's fake news conference last week, during which agency communications staffers posed as reporters during a press conference at which no reporters were in attendance. FEMA gave reporters 15 minutes notice before the conference began.

Tonight, CNN is reporting that Pat Philbin, about to become director of public affairs for FEMA, will not begin his new position. CNN cites an internal memo from FEMA chief David Paulison that lays into communications staff for going along with the plan and breaking most every rule of honest, transparent media relations.

Of course, not everyone on the FEMA PR staff is irresponsible. Their overall approach to communications during the California wildfires was spot on, and they've done a good job of taking incremental steps to win back trust. Unfortunately, a few people had to ruin the hard work of many to rebuild the agency's reputation with the public and the media.

The perception of public relations is bad enough and it's a shame our core issues come from within. How are we supposed to shed the stereotypes of our profession when those in the highest, most visible positions make conscious steps to reinforce them? We need to remember to be real people before we are influencers, marketers and communicators. And we need to stick to our core values - as Baron says - truth, honestly and building trust.