Let's take a step back in time. 

It's the early 2000s, low-rise jeans are all the rage and public figures are saying and doing outrageous things that had us all gasping at our flip phones. What's changed? The way PR handles these faux-pas.

20 years ago, an estimated timeline was designated to damage control at the first sign of public backlash. A public figure would say something unfavourable. By the next morning, their words would go viral. By noon, the publicist steps in. And come evening, a vetted, deliberate statement would be released to the public.

Public figures were taught how to speak long before they were allowed to speak freely. They worked within tightly constructed systems that maintained a highly selective and controlled approach to interviews. Questions and answers were constructed and structured — sometimes even curating vulnerability.

This training wasn't only about maintaining an image, but about containing that image. PR training entailed how to deflect questions, apologise without inflaming or minimising the situation, and saying something without saying too much.

Public figures were not being taught how to handle a situation, but how to hide it, because back then, accessibility wasn't expected of them — composure was. Essentially, this style of crisis control worked to create a barrier between them and the potential consequences of their words.

But now, with us peering down at our smartphones, social media has dismantled that distance almost overnight. There is no "lag period" between when the scandal occurs and when we find out about it. We get front row seats to the drama, so a public figure's misstep is the statement. Crisis prevention has turned into crisis reaction and survival. And we get to witness the "live clean up". 

Public figures can speak freely without the aid of journalists and interviews, they can go viral without the need for PR teams. They're transforming themselves from a product filtered through layers of media into a platform that provides clear accessibility to audiences who are then able to decide whether the content is worthy of engaging with.

Some of the most popular influential figures of today didn't emerge from a media training pipeline. They learned visibility first and the weight of responsibility later — if they ever did.

 

The Case for Authenticity

The erosion of PR training as we once knew it has given us a sense of humanity. By removing the sense of "untouchability" from public figures, we haven't just gained authenticity, but temporal closeness.

For individuals whom the media-sphere would have once deemed as flawed, unpolished or spontaneous, the increasing popularity of and emotionally legible public figures has provided a space for both broader representation and power redistribution.

By garnering the ability to reclaim authority and to advocate, not only for themselves but for others, these public figures develop a more memorable public identity, and by reinforcing that distinct identity with immediacy through public platforms, they now have the power to start a meaningful conversation. One that opens a door for others to join, or simply feel seen by.

 

The Case Against Unfiltered Speech

So, in today's social climate, it's clear: authenticity is vital. But without structure, it can be dangerous. Media training originally provided a language for responsibility — a dialect that guided public figures on how to de-escalate situations, acknowledge harm without centering themselves, and how to navigate complex public scrutiny.

Without this clear language, communication has become more reactive rather than reflective, defensive and rather than accountable and, worst of all, immediate rather than considered.

A hasty response in the form of something like an unfiltered post or emotional video doesn't necessarily make the apology more truthful — just prompter. The primary goal of this type of rushed apology isn't to emphasise how sorry they are, but to justify their impulsivity or carelessness as simply, "being authentic". Simply put; it's an easy way out.

 

The Verdict

PR training isn't just about image control, but rather about understanding the weight of speaking in public, and learning to carry that weight carefully.

By substituting an artificial system for one that prioritises immediacy over clarity, we may have misunderstood what PR training is trying to protect both us and public figures from: that responsibility trumps recklessness.

The solution isn't to simply return to a polished system or to just sit back and watch public figures continue to say the unexpected, but rather to remember that words hold power, and those who have a platform to spread them should handle those words with care.

 

Did you enjoy the article? Let us know in the comments section below.

Want to stay up-to-date with the latest news? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Want to read more about the modern era of crisis PR? Take a look at Crisis PR in the Social Media Era — In 300 Words or Less.

*Image courtesy of Canva