As a journalist, I have run into situations where, instead of being able to work with public relations of businesses and institutions in the moment, I have had to go through a gruelingly long right-to-know process to get the information I needed for my job.
Without going into too much detail, it was information the public deserved to know, as their tax money was funding a program that should have been public knowledge and actively talked about before my investigation.
Working with public relations can be hard. It is not the same all the time, though. Some companies and groups get it: being transparent with your audience or consumers is a good thing for everyone involved (that is, if you don’t have anything too terrible to hide).
Being transparent with someone in business or marketing models can be beneficial because, while there may be backlash or criticism thrust upon a group for a certain decision or change, supporters eventually gain more faith when the truth is told.
This philosophy roots itself as deep as our relationships with our parents. I do not think I am the only one who had parents growing up that were always more upset when I did not tell the truth and do something wrong rather than not compound lies or any type of deception with potential wrongdoing.
Sometimes, organizations just do not want to deal with the public and the evolution of their image, either. For instance, if taxpayers are paying for a new partnership they do not know about, the contractor has a duty to inform those who are funding that arrangement. Being more transparent would also lend itself to the contractor being able to better explain the necessity of said arrangement too, for example.
Corruption is an eternal truth, no matter how prevalent, and people can always find what is right and what is true. However, going through that process is a lot longer, tougher and time-consuming compared to the organizations themselves deciding to be more transparent with their decisions from the start. This would help media prevent muddling the truth and report the facts with cooperating bodies of government and business gaining more faith in their constituents and customers in the long run.
This is why recalls happen in the food industry. This is why business people admit to deals that did not pan out. It is also why celebrities, politicians and athletes confess mistakes before the situation gets worse for them after a prolonged lie. People have faith in them, and that faith is not certain or set in stone. It can be built or destroyed.
Being honest and transparent can have great consequences, usually positive ones. It makes less work for those who can be more productive elsewhere, and it also creates a positive image and honest brand for those groups that shape and direct our world.
