Plagiarism, public relations and press releases: The case of the hidden author

Abstract

Public relations activities regularly include press releases to news media institutions. Written in journalistic style, but incorporating vested interests in terms of language, structure and content, press releases work to the specific purpose of reiterating the virtues of products, organisations and activities. Press releases are commonly incorporated whole, or in part, into news media content – often without reference to the original source, and in some instances bylined by staff reporters. Duplication of any part or totality of a press release is the objective of the original author, and masking of the original source of the content serves to legitimate that objective. In the area of HIV/AIDS, for example, there are vested interests embedded in highlighting particular perspectives on the epidemic, and press releases from HIV/AIDS organisations foster the insertion of such perspectives into the public sphere. The practice of not accrediting the original author of a text constitutes plagiarism in the normal definition, but in practice it serves both the needs of news media institutions through provision of low-cost ‘copy’ and those of press release producers, whose objective is to insert information into the news media in the service of organisational, ideological and pragmatic interests.