Date of Award
Fall 12-2012
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Mass Communication and Journalism
School
Communication
Committee Chair
Jae-Hwa Shin
Committee Chair Department
Mass Communication and Journalism
Committee Member 2
Christopher Campbell
Committee Member 2 Department
Mass Communication and Journalism
Committee Member 3
Fei Xue
Committee Member 3 Department
Mass Communication and Journalism
Committee Member 4
Kimberly LeDuff
Committee Member 4 Department
Mass Communication and Journalism
Committee Member 5
Cheryl Jenkins
Committee Member 5 Department
Mass Communication and Journalism
Abstract
The following study employs content analysis to examine the crisis communication responses and audience reception of religious leaders involved in scandal. Benoit’s Image Repair Strategies and the Contingency Theory are used to determine the strategies, stances and contingent variables of mega-church leaders: Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard, Eddie Long, Henry Lyons and Jimmy Swaggart; and the Boston Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church. News framing theory determined media and audience reception of the religious leaders’ crisis communication responses.
The study concludes that there is little difference in mega-church leaders and the Boston Diocese’s crisis communication responses. Religious leaders’ dominant strategies were bolstering and denial, and their media portrayals were balanced.
Copyright
2012, Melody Teracita Fisher
Recommended Citation
Fisher, Melody Teracita, "Religious Leaders in Crisis: An Analysis of Image Restoration Strategies and Content Variables" (2012). Dissertations. 716.
https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/716