The Fine Line between Famous and Notorious: Research in Public Figures' Crisis Response Strategies Using the Situational Crisis Communication Theory

• Other Authors: Bartman, Andrea (author)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Communication
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/2018_Sp_Bartman_fsu_0071E_14414

This dissertation sought to explore public figures’ crises and crisis response messages through the lens of the situational crisis communication theory. The categories of public figures in this study are athletes, celebrities, and politicians. This research project focused on public figures’ apology messages for transgression crises, which are classified in the situational crisis communication theory as organizational misdeeds with injuries and organizational misdeeds without injuries. This project used a content analysis of YouTube videos to determine the type of crisis a public figure experienced and the type of response they used to address their crisis. There were 47 public figures with 51 crisis response videos in the content analysis. Of the public figures in this research 25 employed an apology strategy in their crisis response video. The second part of this study was three focus group discussions that used one crisis response video that featured an apology message for each of the three categories of public figures. Alex Rodriguez was chosen as the athlete, OJ Simpson was chosen as the celebrity, and Anthony Weiner was chosen as the politician. Focus group participants discussed what they felt the public figure did well, did not do well, and could have done better during their crisis response message. Participants had many responses to these research questions, but a main theme for each topic was they felt the public figures’ use of emotion was good, they felt the public figures did not apologize well, and they felt the public figures could have done a better job sharing how they plan to prevent a similar situation from happening again. The implication of this research is the possibility of using the situational crisis communication theory as a way to help individuals like public figures respond to a crisis in addition to the organizational crises the theory has typically been used for previously. === A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Spring Semester 2018. === April 10, 2018. === Content Analysis, Crisis Communication, Focus Group, Public Figures, Public Relations, Situational Crisis Communication Theory === Includes bibliographical references. === Stephen McDowell, Professor Directing Dissertation; Vanessa Dennen, University Representative; Jay Rayburn, Committee Member; Jaejin Lee, Committee Member.