Thank you, Renay, for your thoughts. Clearly the newspaper industry is faced with an unsettling change in circumstances, forcing journalists everywhere to make some tough personal decisions. The dark side to which you refer, however, applies to any occupation. Every one of us - PR professional, journalist, doctor, garbage collector - are challenged daily to make decisions that jibe with our personal and professional ethics. The purpose of PR is not intrinsically nefarious; it comes down to the practitioners. As such, the question being asked, at once timely and timeless, is not "Should I abase myself by becoming a PR flack," but rather, "Regardless of the circumstances can I commit to doing the right thing?" A true professional will make that commitment, will avoid conflicts of interest and not shun transparency. I'm a PR consultant, and sometimes I have to say "no" to a client; it's never easy, but my credibility depends on it.