AU adland 2nd-last!

SYDNEY, Wednesday: A new Roy Morgan study has painted a bleak picture of Australia’s advertising and media industries when it comes to ethics and honesty, ranking them second-last on a list of 30 professions. (Click on the graphic to see the detail.)

The ad sector (at 4%) was sandwiched between real estate agents (5%) and the last-placed used car salespeople (3%). Union bosses rated 19% on the trust scale, while insurance brokers rated 7%.

B&T reported: “The media categories also fared poorly. Only 15% of respondents felt newspaper journalists were honest. It was 11% for TV reporters and pollsters, and 10% for talkback radio announcers.

“Strangely,” says the B&T report, “PR was noticeably absent from this year’s list.”

Nurses came out top on the most trusted list at 88%, followed by doctors at 82% and pharmacists third with 76%. Sschoolteachers scored 74%.

“Media also fared poorly. Newspaper journos rate 15%, TV reporters & pollsters 11%, and 10% for talkback radio announcers.”

Respondents (14+) were asked: “As I say different occupations, could you please say – from what you know or have heard – which rating best describes how you, yourself, would rate or score people in various occupations for honesty and ethical standards (Very High, High, Average, Low, Very Low)?”

B&T commented: “The results should be a worrying sign for Australia’s advertising industry, given its concerted efforts in recent times to present more meaningful messages, more transparency, and deliver important initiatives around diversity and inclusion.”

M+AD says: “Kiwis & Aussies are the closest on so many levels – but their ad & media industries are worlds apart. We believe a NZ poll would produce quite different results.

Police down
The biggest loser from this year’s Image of Professions survey is the Police who have experienced a significant fall and are now rated highly for their ‘ethics and honesty’ by a bare majority of 51% of Australians.

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