Peter Gummer blamed lack of progress on issues such as regulation and
evaluation on lack of trust
Keith Henshall Henshall Centre
‘That’s far too gloomy a view. It’s a young industry, it takes time for
people to work out what they agree and disagree on. Look at what
happened to the Law Society last year, someone was elected to the post
of president on practically the same platform I was elected president of
the IPR. He came in for criticism from one part of the industry, support
from another. It’s natural that we’re going to have arguments...we
mustn’t be scared of controversy.’
Quentin Bell Quentin Bell Organisation
‘While I think that Peter Gummer is absolutely right in what he says,
it’s not very helpful. The big issue is that people, notably journalists
don’t understand what we do. If there’s a lack of trust, or
miscommunication, that’s where it is. Peter Gummer isn’t doing anything
about it. I tried, maybe I failed - I think its going to take a decade
or two to change things.’
Fiona Driscoll Ogilvy Adams and Rinehart
‘Self-regulation, training and evaluation are critical to how the PR
industry is rated and I don’t think we are pushing ahead fast enough.
Ironically, this is because we are being too co-operative and dancing
around the issues. Standards are, by their nature, exclusive; once
adopted, parts of the industry may not qualify. If Peter Gummer is
right, and we wait until we are driven by external events, we will have
missed a major opportunity to shape our own future.’
Peter Walker Pielle & Co’
‘I would stand what Peter Gummer said on its head: it is the lack of a
proper professional regulatory structure which is inhibiting the
development of PR. Certainly people don’t work together as much as they
should. One particular thing is the failure to take up references on
people. I think we would do a lot better for ourselves if we had a more
accomplished professional ethos.’
James Maxwell Scope Communications
‘It is highly competitive but mistrustful, no. We have good relations
with those with whom we compete. Peter Gummer and other leaders of the
large agencies could show the way through jointly promoting common
standards of training, evaluation and use of technology. If they play a
more active part in the PRCA - and lead towards a merger with the IPR -
agencies might take membership more seriously and we could bring the
sector together.’
