Over time, MEPRA will be issuing policy and best practice statements regarding public relations acitivities. As our discipline evolves so new ideas are developed and adopted as best practice - some as a result of trial and error and some due to legal issues.

Recent issues addressed by MEPRA are:

1. Should a PRO edit wiki content (eg Wikipedia) for their clients? Our position is no unless they declare who they are.  The Word of Mouth Marketing Association has issued a draft code of ethics for online marketing -

The essence of the WOMMA Ethics Code comes down to the Honesty ROI:

* Honesty of Relationship: You say who you're speaking for
* Honesty of Opinion: You say what you believe
* Honesty of Identity: You never obscure your identity

2.  Media Gifts: If ever you wanted to see how giving press expensive gifts can back-fire, have a read of AdNation’s story (http://adnationme.com/news/today-s-news/quids-in-for-journos-with-promise-of-expensive-freebies.html) where a non-MEPRA registered agency had sent invites out to the media citing “valuable” gifts if they turned up to a press event for the motorsports team My Qi-Meritus.Mahara at Dubai Autodrome.  As AdNation’s reporter states” We stand by our judgement of this as a rather cynical ploy to lure the press to the event – and perhaps ensure some decent coverage”.

MEPRA was quoted in Emirates Busines 24/7 (23/04/09) on the issue of inducements for journalists to attend press conferences (agency, Idea PR, offering gold coins to the press on behalf of their client, the World Gold Council).  If you are not aware, MEPRA does not condone this tactic, indeed we are against any form of bribe for coverage and completely endorse the UAE Journalist's Association position that "accepting gifts of value for attending a media event or providing media coverage breeches a journalist's integrity."  It also undermines our own integrity as a profession

MEPRA’s position on gifts to the media: anything up to the value of AED 185 / US$ 50 is acceptable. 

3.  Dubai's office for Media Affairs / Brand Dubai

MEPRA sent the attached editorial to Adnation in response to the official launch of Brand Dubai.