The general public believes PROS to be more trustworthy than journalists, according to a PR Week NOP Solutions omnibus.
Despite vilification of PR being widespread in the media, only 13 per cent of respondents believed journalists were more trustworthy than lawyers or PROs, who ranked 27 per cent.
Lawyers have the best image of the three professions in this country - exactly 60 per cent of respondents said lawyers were the most trustworthy.
Despite this, journalists are actually more popular than their spinning counterparts. When asked who should get the last parachute in the event of a plane crash, only 29 per cent thought it should go to a PRO. Thirty-four per cent believed it should go to the journalist, and 38 per cent wanted the lawyer to land safely.
Andy Green, Green PR founder, said: 'Presumably they thought we didn't need a parachute because we'd either talk our way out of it, or know someone who has one.'
He added that, ironically, not only did journalists now rely on PROs for news, 'but they might need us for a campaign to improve their image too'.
Leader, p8.
