Business

New CIPR chair Sinead Doyle takes up post as body pledges to raise professional standards

CIPR UK President Jason MacKenzie pictured with Maurica Mackle, Mackle Communications; Sinead Doyle, MCE Public Relations and chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) NI; and Joris Minne, JComms
CIPR UK President Jason MacKenzie pictured with Maurica Mackle, Mackle Communications; Sinead Doyle, MCE Public Relations and chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) NI; and Joris Minne, JComms CIPR UK President Jason MacKenzie pictured with Maurica Mackle, Mackle Communications; Sinead Doyle, MCE Public Relations and chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) NI; and Joris Minne, JComms

FALSE propaganda and "alternative facts" have no place in professional public relations, the new chair of the north's professional body for the industry, has stressed.

Sinead Doyle, incoming chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), referenced the new political administration in the US and its controversial use of communications while launching a new drive to raise standards of practice in the north.

"Professionalism in our industry has never been more important," she said.

"In a week where millions watched propaganda being pushed out from one of the most powerful podiums in the world, I feel we can and should do more to promote professional practice and a positive image of public relations.

"Alternative facts have no place in PR. We need to move the conversation beyond ‘spin’ and work hard to educate people about the importance of PR and its intrinsic value to businesses."

The professional body has pledged to "proactively encourage" more PR practitioners to invest in their professional development during the year ahead, helping to improve standards of practice across the industry.

Ms Doyle, head of consumer PR at Belfast agency MCE Public Relations, was sworn in as chair for 2017 in succession to Samantha Livingstone, managing director of Rumour Mill, who has served in the post for the past two years. Chris Pollock, senior client manager at LK Communications, was elected CIPR vice-chair.

The new chair, along with Joris Minne (director of of JComms) and Maurica Mackle (MD Mackle Communications), were recently awarded CIPR chartered PR status – the highest level of accreditation for PR professionals awarded by CIPR in London.

These latest charterships bring the number of chartered PR practitioners in Northern Ireland to 12.