Maybe Strumpette has a point?

I never thought i would say this...maybe Strumpette has some points to consider in the post, Strumpette on the Rag.  Would like to preface this by asking for direction to blog posts discussing the Fleishman-Hilliard trial.  Also, Strumpette references a PRSA memo sent to members about ethics.  Is this available to public-those professionals not members-but visit prsa.or regularly or only to members?  Sincerely, please let me know.

I found it curious that when I googled 'Fleishman-Hilliard trial' the first page only had one reference to the trial verdict...this was from prnewswire where the full story was only available to paid subscribers.  Interesting. Found the following story on LA Times site: Dowie, Aide Guilty on All Counts in Bill Scam posted on 17 May and written by John Spano.

I have never been keen on the way Strumpette writes her blog posts and slams bloggers, but the point is this post may have some merit.

LA Times writes:

"Jurors believed that public relations giant Fleishman-Hillard intentionally overbilled Los Angeles taxpayers for its services to the city Department of Water and Power, the port and the airport. The foreperson said a combination of precise billing records and e-mails presented by prosecutors convinced jurors of the existence of the criminal enterprise."

"Another juror cited a series of e-mails among Dowie, Stodder and other Fleishman-Hillard executives in Los Angeles and the firm's headquarters in St. Louis. In them, Dowie asked that the billing be "padded" to help meet monthly revenue projections, and Stodder repeatedly directed his subordinates to bill more time to the city." 

City Controller Laura Chick, who audited city public relations billing in 2002 and refused to pay some Fleishman bills the following year, said the case represents "wrongdoing, game playing, backroom deals." 

"Dowie and Stodder were indicted last year after seven former Fleishman-Hillard employees told The Times they were encouraged — sometimes told — to falsify the hours they worked under the DWP contract."

Once again the PR industry is placed in a negative light...we can't even manage our own industry PR?

Richard S. Kline, the Los Angeles general manager for Fleishman-Hillard, said the company took "numerous steps to avoid the possibility of something like this ever occurring again." LA Times

I'm curious, what are the "numerous steps"?  is this something that could be shared with the industry and implemented by professional affiliations?

"We deeply regret that improper and indefensible bills were presented to several of our Los Angeles clients, and we again apologize to the residents of Los Angeles," Kline said in a statement.  LA Times

Kudos for amends being made...but is this sincere?  What are we doing to prevent this and mend relations with our customers...prospective customers?

"The Dowie trial and the Fleishman-Hillard scandal have had a broad effect on the public relations industry."  LA Times

What effect?  I have not seen much coverage of this in the form of whether conviction was justice?  Are we defending our own?  Is this why we are not talking about this?  Numerous posts reference ethics, but fingers are not being pointed or solutions offered...just discussing out what may be wrong.

"Remind the prospect that his recovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his relationship with God." Alcoholics Anonymous p. 99

If you have been keeping up with this blog and the program/solution offered, you know that God is the customer and the prospect is the one with the "thinking problem."

"We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns." Alcoholics Anonymous p.68

I do not think the customer assigns this role.

Comments

[Kami Huyse]

Lauren;

PRSA has an Advocay Room that you can susbscribe to via RSS, they put out statements and Professional Stadards Advisories, probably the "Memos" in question:

http://media.prsa.org/item_display.cfm?show_section=1378

Not many, that I can see, have written about this, but I do think it is horredous to overbill or engage in any kind of criminal behavior. It hurts the profession, for sure, and it also is right out fraud.

I am glad it was appropriately punished. I don't work in a big agency, i am an independent, so I don't have any insight into how agencies bill, but I know how I do it, and there is no padding there, so for others to muddy that up is pretty irritating indeed.

[Air Max 2010]

I am glad it was appropriately punished. I don't work in a big agency, i am an independent, so I don't have any insight into how agencies bill, but I know how I do it, and there is no padding there, so for others to muddy that up is pretty irritating indee