CRAFTING A PUBLIC IMAGE - AN EMPIRICAL-STUDY OF THE ETHICS OF GHOSTWRITING

Ghostwriting is viewed by some as a necessary element for crafting an effective public image. Defenders of ghostwriting see no ethical dilem ma in the practice because the audience knows the ''speechgiver'' is n ot necessarily the ''speechwriter.'' Alernatively, those regarding gho stwriting as unethical view the practice as deceitful. This group argu es that the audience does not recognize the employment of a speechwrit er and thus a speechgiver relies on the words of another to fortify pe rsonal ethos. This article examines several positions regarding the et hics of ghostwriting and discusses an empirical study testing three ma jor positions found in ghostwriting literature. Findings from the stud y indicate that respondents do recognize the use of speechwriters by c ertain individuals in certain circumstances.