The recent scandals surrounding Jeremy Clarkson, Carol Thatcher and Haringey Social Services have reignited the debate amongst PR professionals about the issue of public apologies.
But the consensus resonating in the PR industry still clearly suggests that apology is the best PR policy.
Clarkson quickly defused public outrage after he described PM Gordon Brown as a one-eyed Scottish idiot by making a full and immediate apology.
Michael Grade also demonstrated his populist instinct by quickly saying sorry for ITV's ineptitude by screening ads as Everton scored the winning goal in its FA Cup derby match against Liverpool.
But PR veteran and former executive at the Daily Mail and The Sun, Ian Monk, said that the recent succession of high-profile scandals illustrated how damage limitation strategies in each case depended on the timing and context.
In the case of Thatcher, he said, PR attempts to claim privacy within the BBC's crowded green room appeared naive, as did half-hearted and belated attempts to apologise in Thatcher's own limited terms.
If the horrifying death of Baby P wasn't enough, head of Haringey Social Services Sharon Shoesmith then added insult to injury by her refusal to apologise. But that, argues Monk, may be more a matter for her own conscience rather than PR judgement.
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