DOI: 10.5176/2301-3710_JMComm16.16
Authors: Eunicia Grace N. Alcala
Abstract: When an individual decides to be a part of the political realm, it is given that his or her private life is compromised. As someone who’s regarded by the public as its representative, the public servant’s actions must reflect goodwill. However, politics is an area that’s filled with vagaries. When a public official faces accusations of misconduct, everything that he or she has worked for is immediately at risk. Regardless of the legitimacy of the accusations, it is inevitable for the public to formulate speculations. When prominent officials find themselves embroiled in controversies, they will employ strategies in the hope of restoring their images. Through his Image Restoration Theory, William Benoit presents five common types of “face-saving” tactics: denial, evasion of responsibility, reduction of offense, corrective action, and mortification. The employed image restoration tactics were presented to thirty (30) respondents who conveyed their views and their reasons for admiring or abhorring such strategies. This study also examines how media niches package their stories about accused politicians who are trying to reclaim their reputations.
Keywords: politics, politicians, image restoration, political faux pas, crisis communication, media reporting
Updating...