Image Repair Discourse Research Articles

Violence and Power of the Modern British Monarch

Violence and Power of the Modern British Monarch

Disclaiming, Mitigating, and Character Boosting—How Targets of Investigate Journalism Negotiate Guilt, Excuses, Justification, and Morality

ABSTRACT This article analyses how objects of investigative journalism challenge journalistic authority and knowledge production from the textual space of their own platforms. Drawing on theories of image repair discourse, legal defense strategies, and socio-moral meaning making, a thematic analysis is used to research how the defenses criticize the investigations, what type of dialogical socio-moral meaning making they initiate, and what challenges that meaning-making poses to journalism. The article identifies three positions vis-à-vis the accusations: disclaiming, mitigating, and character boosting. The positions represent journalism respectively as either malevolent adversary, legitimate censor, or associate moral champion, and the stances criticize investigations for being either wrongful, exaggerated, or a distortion of character. The defenses challenge investigative journalism to substantiate accusations, justify methods, renegotiate guilt, acknowledge the validity of excuses and justification, and give credit for alleged moral qualities. The study ends with a discussion on the importance for journalism to engage seriously with defenses to uphold its role as a just and fair institution of accountability, and as a relevant actor in the construction of societal moral.

Creating Separation From the On-Field Product: Roger Goodell’s Image Repair Discourse During the Ray Rice Domestic Violence Case

This analysis examines National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell’s image repair strategies during the Ray Rice domestic violence crisis. After receiving criticism for only suspending Rice for two games, the attacks against the NFL and Goodell substantially increased when TMZ released a previously unseen video of Rice knocking out his then-fiancée Janay Palmer in a Revel Casino elevator. Facing these new attacks, Goodell relied on a separation strategy that included acknowledging the NFL had a domestic violence problem, shifting the blame to Rice, and highlighting the NFL’s new domestic violence policy which was the most stringent in professional sports. Goodell also used mortification to enhance his separation strategy to suggest that he was responsible for the insufficient punishment of Rice, which shifted the blame to Goodell and away from the NFL product and NFL owners. Unlike other CEOs who only gain notoriety during an organizational crisis, Goodell was already disliked by players and the public prior to the Rice scandal, which may have enhanced his attempts to shield the league from the scandal. Implications are drawn concerning how the public’s perception of an executive can influence the effectiveness of image repair discourse and how a separation strategy can bolster an organization’s defense.

Deutsche Telekom’s spying scandal: An international application of the image repair discourse

This analysis expands on the image restoration discourse and adapts it to the German business environment. It takes into account the cultural dimensions of uncertainty ambiguity and long-term orientation (Hofstede, 2011) to analyze Deutsche Telekom’s image repair attempts in the aftermath of a spying scandal. The results reveal that the strategies of mortification and reduce offensiveness emerged within the frame of corrective action while denial was present in the overarching theme of transcendence. The use of corrective action and transcendence as larger frames for crisis communication meets the stakeholders’ expectations in terms of a systematic overview of details and a focus on the crisis's context. The results reveal the need for continued research that ascertains ways of adapting the image repair discourse to international business environments. Finally, the results of this study can be used by companies that operate in Germany in their attempt to reduce the negative impact of a crisis on their reputation.

Editor’s Preface

Editor’s Preface Mary Lou Sheffer, PhD , Editor This is a special issue of jsm, as it marks the first time the journal has collaborated with the National Summit on Sports Communication. The first four articles were part of a panel presentation that dealt with the 40th Anniversary of the implementation of Title IX. The authors cover the following topics: critical rhetoric of the discrimination and disrespect female sportswriters faced in the 1970s and 1980s (Korryn Mozisek) and three separate analyses on espn’s Nine for IX documentary series that covered female tennis star Venus Williams (Kate Lavelle), the 1999 fifa Women’s World Cup (Lindsey Meân), and the series’ final episode Branded, which explored whether women’s sport will ever equal its male counterpart (Ann Pegoraro). In addition to the Title IX articles, authors Betsy Emmons and Andy Billings explore the theoretical and practical implications of athletes’ tattoos and media coverage. Jacob Turner uses semiotics to examine the communicative qualities behind the controversial use of the “screaming savage” logo by the Atlanta Braves and its broader implications to the sports-communication world. Lastly, authors Annelie Schmittel and Kevin Hull investigate the use of image repair discourse of Richie Incognito and the Miami Dolphins’ 2013–2014 bullying scandal. I hope you find this issue informative. [End Page vii] Mary Lou Sheffer, Editor Associate Professor, University of Southern Mississippi Copyright © 2015 University of Nebraska Press

BP’s use of posture to respond to the Deepwater Horizon crisis

This paper focuses on the posture the oil company BP adopted when faced with a legitimacy crisis during one of the worst environmental disasters in history. Against a backdrop of a discussion of the rhetorical aspects of image repair discourse and organisational legitimacy, Hearit’s strategy of corporate apologia was employed to determine the posture BP adopted in relation to the crisis. This paper adds to the literature on image repair strategies by heeding a call by Hearit for the context within which corporate apologia takes place to be taken account of, an approach that warrants a distinct line of research. The literature was further extended by complementing Hearit's strategy with semiotics and analysing its use in both the annual and sustainability reports. The additional focus on the sustainability reports is important, due to the high premium placed on sustainability in the changing business environment. On a practical level this paper contributes to an understanding of how organisations use sustainability reports to respond to legitimacy challenges.

Prior reputation and the transition from image repair to image makeover: The case of Hosni Mubarak

Through an analysis of Hosni Mubarak's speeches made over the course of the Arab Spring, this study examined Mubarak's response to criticism about his role in the crisis and the resultant attempt to repair his image. The study thereby draws attention to the image repair strategies of an individual with a negative prior reputation in a crisis. Data indicate that Mubarak's negative prior reputation resulted in his attempting not just an image repair as image repair discourse theory would suggest but rather a more complex image makeover. The cultural significance of his rhetorical choices and the implications for theory are discussed.

Repairing the athlete's image: studies in sports image restoration

Introduction Part 1. Drugs Chapter 1. From the Mitchell Report to Brian McNamee: Roger Clemen's Image Repair Discourse, J. Scott Smith Chapter 2. Big Mac with a Side of Steroids: The Image Repair Strategies of Mark McGwire, John McGuire, Lori McKinnon, and Wayne Wanta Chapter 3. Defense of an Anti-Hero: Barry Bonds' State of the Great Address, J. Scott Smith Chapter 4. The Image Repair Media Interview as Apologia and Antapologia: Marion Jones on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Michael R. Kramer Chapter 5. The Michael Phelps Saga: From Successful Olympian, to Pot Smoker Caught on Camera, to Renewed Role Model and Brand, Rod Troester and Lindsay Johns Part 2. Marital Infidelity and Sexual Misconduct Chapter 6. Tiger Woods' Image Repair: Could He Hit One Out of the Rough?, William L. Benoit Chapter 7. Power, Privilege, and the Surprising Absence of Repair: Kobe Bryant and Interest Convergence, Rachel Alicia Griffin Chapter 8. Strategies of Silence: The John Terry Affair and the British Press Part 3. Social Deviance and Integrity Chapter 9. Bad Newz Kennels: Michael Vick and Dogfighting, J. Scott Smith Chapter 10. The Failed Comedy of the NBA's Gilbert Arenas: Image Restoration in Context, Theodore F. Sheckels Chapter 11. Plaxico Burress Takes His Best Shot, Mark Glantz Chapter 12. In the Dark at Texas Tech: News Coverage Involving the Image Repair Discourse of Mike Leach and Adam James, Kevin Stein, Paul Turman, and Matthew Barton Chapter 13. How Bobby Knight Changed His Bad Boy Image to Become a Media Darling, Ric Jensen Part 4. On-Field Actions Chapter 14. Belated Remorse: Serena Williams' Image Repair Rhetoric at the 2009 U.S. Open, LeAnn M. Brazeal Chapter 15. Unsports(wo)manlike Conduct: An Image Repair Analysis of Elizabeth Lambert, the University of New Mexico, and the NCAA, Jordan L. Compton Part 5. The Organizational Turn Chapter 16. No Pepper: Apologia and Image Repair in the 2002 Labor Negotiations Between Major League Baseball and the Players Association, Kevin R. Meyer and Craig W. Cutbirth Chapter 17. Giving Them the Ol' Misdirection: The NCAA and the Student-Athlete, Mike Milford Chapter 18. A Death, a Family Feud, and a Merger: The Image Repair of Teresa Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt, Inc., by Angela Jerome Chapter 19. The Puck Stops Here: The NHL's Image Repair Strategies During the 2004-2005 Lockout, by James DiSanza, Nancy J. Legge, H.R. Allen, and J.T. Wilde Chapter 20. Celebrating Spectator Sports in America: The Centrality of Press Conferences and Media Interviews to Sports Image Repair, by Peter M. Smudde and Jeffrey L. Courtright Research in Brief Chapter 21. Reputation Differences between Mortification-Only and Mortification/Corrective Action Strategies Following a Transgression by a Professional Athlete, by John Twork and Joseph R. Blaney Conclusion

Image repair discourse of Chilean companies facing a scandal

This study examines the construction of a positive corporate image in public statements issued by 12 Chilean companies facing a crisis in the period January 2008 to July 2010. Drawing on repair image theory (Benoit, 1997), narrative theory (Labov and Waletsky, 1967), and argumentation theory (Aristotle), this article aims to investigate which discursive strategies and which linguistic structures have been instrumental in this construction. Three analytical categories were investigated in this study, namely, image repair strategies, construction of ethos, and narratives. In each of these categories, special attention is paid to lexico-grammatical features (e.g. active voice/passive voice, grammatical metaphor, etc.) and socio-pragmatic strategies (e.g. redundancy). The analysis shows that the core image repair strategy is denial, which is accomplished through a highly rhetorical language. It also demonstrates how the public statements create a secondary narrative of the companies’ good sense, good moral character, and goodwill, through the use and abuse of linguistic and pragmatic devices.

Altar call: The Democratic Party's religious rhetoric as image repair discourse

In 2004, Senator Barack Obama declared, “We worship a mighty God in the blue states.” During the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns, Obama and other Democratic candidates attempted to prove that Republicans do not have a monopoly on religious campaign rhetoric by invoking God, quoting scriptures, and attending forums on faith. These efforts to find political salvation can be seen as an attempt at apologia by Democrats who defended their Party from a perception of being godless or anti-religion. This study analyzes the religious-political rhetoric of the 2004 and 2008 Democratic presidential candidates in order to evaluate and critique the various strategies used to repair the Party's image on religious matters.

NPR's Image Repair Discourse on Firing Juan Williams

NPR analyst Juan Williams appeared on The O'Reilly Factor and said that he gets “worried” and “nervous” when he sees people in Muslim dress on airplanes. Two days later NPR fired Williams and the day after that Williams issued a serious accusation against NPR: “I was fired for telling the truth.” Criticism of NPR mounted—arising particularly from conservative commentators—and CEO Vivian Schiller disseminated a statement defending her organization. This essay applies the theory of image repair discourse to NPR's CEO Vivian Schiller's apology for firing Williams. Two accusations were in play and they prompted two distinct defenses: Her reaction to accusations that NPR had not followed appropriate procedures for termination Williams employed the strategies of mortification and corrective action and her defense of the firing itself used transcendence, bolstering, and attack accuser. This essay evaluates this defense as a poor example of image repair.

Analysis of the image repair discourse in the Michael Phelps controversy

The following study reviews the image repair strategies used by Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, his sponsors and the organizations that govern him as an amateur swimmer after a picture of Phelps allegedly smoking from a marijuana pipe appeared in a British tabloid. Additionally, the study reviews media coverage of the controversy to determine whether Phelps was successful in repairing his image. The study concludes that Phelps’ image repair campaign was a success. Implications for public relations practitioners and suggestions for future research also are discussed.

The Floyd Landis doping scandal: Implications for image repair discourse

Floyd Landis’ efforts to repair his image in the wake of charges that he used illicit substances to win the 2006 Tour de France have been judged a failure. Analysis of his complex and contradictory rhetorical strategies reveals three important implications for the theory and practice of image repair. First, the use of absolutive stances can be severely confounded by the introduction of strategies designed to evade responsibility. This essay explains why attempts to evade responsibility contradict the combined strategies of denial and differentiation in such a way that weakens image repair efforts and confuses audiences. Second, the success of third party bolstering, cited elsewhere as an effective means of repairing one's image, is dependent upon the credibility of those third parties. Third, attacks on one's accuser have their limitations and may even worsen one's public image in some instances.

Former Minister Zhang's discourse on SARS: Government's image restoration or destruction?

This study analyzes the image repair discourse by Chinese Health Minister Zhang Wenkang's discourse on SARS. The minister faced several accusations: the SARS outbreak was growing, the Chinese government had covered up the severity of this problem, the Chinese government ignored Taiwanese who suffered from SARS, and the Health Ministry provided information that was neither timely nor accurate. He employed several image repair strategies (denial, defeasibility, bolstering, minimization, differentiation, attack accuser, and corrective action). However, his messages were contradictory and apparently related on false information, so his efforts were unsuccessful and he was stripped of his office.

Religious Celebrity: An Analysis of Image Repair Discourse

In all of the communication literature on crisis communication, not one study has been done that looks at the unique situation of a religious person or organization in crisis. This article uses the infamous 1988 crisis of the televangelist Jimmy Swaggart as a case study for religious crisis communication. The theories of Fink (1986) and Benoit (1997) are used to analyze the situation and explain how Swaggart constructed his image repair campaign. The article also illustrates how these two theories can be used in conjunction to offer a more complete understanding of the crisis situation, and offers a unique look at how religion impacts crisis communication.

President Bush's image repair discourse on Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the surrounding area on August 29, 2005. This storm was devastating, causing death, injury, dislocation, and massive property damage. President Bush came under fire for the apparently slow and inept federal response. On September 15 President Bush gave a speech to repair his image. He employed three principal strategies: bolstering, defeasibility, and corrective action. An evaluation of how these strategies were used in his persuasive message judged his image repair effort to be largely ineffective. Bolstering did not counteract the slow response (e.g., Bush waited days to visit the area). Defeasibility is risky for a president to use because it explicitly portrays him as unable to solve the problem. Corrective action was too little (often proposals rather than direct action—and proposals with important unanswered questions) too late. Evidence of the public reaction is consistent with this unfavorable evaluation.

From aspiring presidential candidate to accidental racist? An analysis of Senator George Allen's image repair during his 2006 reelection campaign

This study analyzes how Senator Allen responded to the negative public relations incidents that occurred during his 2006 reelection campaign. Through a content analysis of Allen's media releases and interviews with Allen's communication staffers this study identifies Allen's image repair discourse strategies and tactics. This study also evaluates the effectiveness of these strategies and tactics through a content analysis of the newspaper coverage Finally, this study identifies three new image repair tactics.

President Bush's major post-Katrina speeches: Enhancing image repair discourse theory applied to the public sector

When Hurricane Katrina swept the Gulf Coast, President Bush's newly formed Department of Homeland Security received its first test and failed. In Katrina's aftermath, Bush not only had to manage one of the nation's worst natural disasters, but also had to quell political backlash about the federal government's response to Katrina. This study examines: (a) how Bush presented the federal response to Katrina in his speeches; (b) how Bush responded to the public's criticism in his speeches; and (c) how effective Bush's speeches were in repairing his tarnished image.

Responding to the legitimacy problems of big tobacco: An analysis of the “people of Philip Morris” image advertising campaign

This study integrates the theories of organizational legitimacy and image restoration/repair. The need for and challenges to legitimacy establish the reason organizations undertake image repair discourse. The People of Philip Morris campaign is examined as an example of this integration. The image repair strategies Philip Morris uses indicate that it is trying to deflect attention away from tobacco‐related issues by focusing on the corporate character reflected in its philanthropic deeds. The legitimacy defense and image repair campaign would be more effective and ethical if they focused on tobacco issues and corrective actions taken in response to them.

Kenneth Starr's image repair discourse viewed in 20/20

Kenneth Starr's investigation led to the impeachment and trial of President William Jefferson Clinton. During this process, Starr and his investigation were the subject of repeated attacks from Clinton, Clinton's supporters, and the news media. In November of 1998, Starr was interviewed by Diane Sawyer on 20/20 in an obvious attempt to repair his image. In this critical analysis, we sketch the theory of image repair discourse (used as a critical lens for this investigation), identify the accusations treated in the interview, analyze Starr's discourse, and evaluate the effectiveness of his image repair discourse. We conclude that his image repair effort was ineffectual (public opinion data are consistent with our evaluation). The evaluation stresses that both selection and implementation of image repair strategies influence effectiveness, argues that bolstering may proceed through identification with the audience, and suggests that the discourse should be internally consistent.