Papers by Joshua M. Bentley
Public Relations Review, 2019
This study used a qualitative analysis of political flip-flops (N = 141) to create a typology of ... more This study used a qualitative analysis of political flip-flops (N = 141) to create a typology of rhetorical strategies for politicians who are perceived to have changed positions on political issues. The core purpose of such rhetoric is to achieve a representation of reliability. Politicians who appear to change positions must do so in a way that does not make them seem unreliable to their key stakeholders. Strategies for achieving this goal fall into four primary categories: ignore, deny, justify, and repent. Within each category are more specific tactics, such as evading questions, claiming one was misquoted, arguing one is adapting to new circumstances, or explaining that one has acquired new information about an issue. Using Bitzer’s theory of the rhetorical situation, we argue that certain strategies are more appropriate than others in certain situations. We discuss the practical and ethical implications of these strategies.
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The SAGE Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society, 2018
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Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 2018
Crisis management theories encourage organizations to use different response
strategies depending... more Crisis management theories encourage organizations to use different response
strategies depending on how much responsibility for the crisis stakeholders attribute
to organizations. However, theory has not fully addressed what organizations ought
to say when responsibility for the crisis is ambiguous, as in a data breach crisis. This
study uses a content analysis to (i) examine what organizations say in response to
data breaches and (ii) compare what organizations say after data breaches with what
organizations say when they are clearly responsible. The findings suggest that organizations are more likely to acknowledge responsibility and show empathy when
they are clearly to blame, but are more likely to invite contact and advise stakeholders
how to protect themselves in data breach situations.
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Management Communication Quarterly, 2018
Many scholars have studied the role of organizational apologies in crisis
communication, but they... more Many scholars have studied the role of organizational apologies in crisis
communication, but they have defined and operationalized apologies
inconsistently. This study uses a grounded theory approach to explore
what constitutes an effective organizational apology from the perspective
of organizational stakeholders. One hundred participants were asked to
imagine being the victims of a data breach at an online retailer and to write
the kind of apology they would like to receive from the organization. One
hundred more participants were asked to write suggestion lists for how the
organization could make its apology effective. These data were analyzed
using a constant comparative method. Fifteen apology elements were
identified and organized along two dimensions: (a) whether the element
involved primarily words or behavior and (b) whether the element focused
on fixing the problem or rebuilding relationships. Based on the data, these
elements must be combined to make an apology effective with stakeholders.
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Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 2012
Following the uses and gratifications approach, this study explores why people visit and use Web ... more Following the uses and gratifications approach, this study explores why people visit and use Web sites for Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) radio stations. An online survey of 320 visitors to 9 CCM radio Web sites found that listening online is the most commonly used feature of these Web sites followed by features related to finding information. A factor analysis identified
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Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 2014
This study uses in-depth qualitative interviews with radio professionals in the United States to ... more This study uses in-depth qualitative interviews with radio professionals in the United States to identify best practices for noncommercial radio fundraising. Most noncommercial stations use on-air pledge drives to solicit donations from listeners, and this is a major source of revenue for these stations. The interview data are analyzed using the constant comparative method. Findings indicate that radio professionals use a variety of fundraising appeals to reach listeners with different motivations for donating. These fundraising appeals have three dimensions: altruism/self-interest, rational/emotional, and reinforcement/trigger. The data also indicate that noncommercial stations try to foster relationships with their listeners and donors. These relationships are managed through direct communication and through mass communication, which produces parasocial interaction.
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Since at least the 1990s, scholars and practitioners have recommended ways to incorporate the pri... more Since at least the 1990s, scholars and practitioners have recommended ways to incorporate the principles of integrated marketing communications (IMC) into the college classroom. The majority of the available scholarly work on IMC education has addressed a range of curricular and theoretical issues. However, while academics and professionals are in agreement that a campaigns course is an essential component of an IMC curriculum , and despite the increasing number of, 2016. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License Despite the ascendance of integrated marketing communications (IMC) in the professional sector and the academy, surprisingly little scholarly work addresses the teaching of integrated marketing campaigns or implementation of the theory and practice of integration in the teaching of those courses. The present study addresses these gaps. Quantitative and qualitative content analyses were conducted on 39 integrated communication campaign plan books developed by students taking courses in the small strategic communication sequence housed in the communication department of a large university. While the majority of the campaigns evidenced integration of multiple IMC tactics, the degree and nature of integration were inconsistent. Additionally, there were significant differences in campaign content, inclusion and implementation of IMC tactics, and adherence to theoretical and/or ethical underpinnings , depending upon the instructor's prior professional background.
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Journal of Radio and Audio Media, 2015
This study used a content analysis of Web sites for 200 public radio stations to measure how stat... more This study used a content analysis of Web sites for 200 public radio stations to measure how stations are creating opportunities for dialogue and relationship building with listeners and donors. Results showed most Web sites were easy to use, provided useful information, gave visitors reasons to return, and had the potential to generate dialogic loops. Many of the sites could improve by making advertising links open in new windows and by providing more information for potential donors. A longitudinal analysis found significant increases from 2011 to 2014 in the number of sites providing links to Facebook, Twitter, and mobile apps.
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Public Relations Review, 2015
This paper combines the concept of identification with balance theory and co-orientation theory t... more This paper combines the concept of identification with balance theory and co-orientation theory to show how public apologies and pseudo-apologies can be used to shift identification among offenders, victims, third parties, and offensive acts. A new theory of apologizing is offered to explain why pseudo-apologies are more effective that genuine apologies at repairing one's public image in some situations. Three case studies from the existing literature on public apologies are used to illustrate the theory.
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Journal of Radio and Audio Media, 2012
This study analyzes the rhetorical strategies used by Rush Limbaugh to re-
build his public image... more This study analyzes the rhetorical strategies used by Rush Limbaugh to re-
build his public image after he made offensive remarks about law student
Sandra Fluke in early 2012. A close reading of Limbaugh’s public statements
reveals that Limbaugh employed the strategies of evading responsibility, reduc-
ing offensiveness, and mortification (i.e., apologizing). However, Limbaugh’s
apology was more of a pseudo-apology than a genuine apology. This article
argues that Limbaugh adopted the strategies he did because the nature of
political talk radio makes it more important to maintain a good public image
with the audience than with political opponents or even advertisers.
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Public Relations Review, 2014
The profession of public relations is often portrayed negatively in popular culture. Cultivation ... more The profession of public relations is often portrayed negatively in popular culture. Cultivation theory suggests that these negative portrayals are likely to affect public perception of the profession. Building on Miller's (1999) study of public relations portrayals in the entertainment media, this study analyzed 10 recent films to determine how public relations characters were represented. The analysis was generally consistent with Miller's finding that archetypical negative stereotypes of public relations professionals abound. The study also identified two new portrayals of the professionals in popular film, idealistic and conflicted. In light of this finding, theoretical and practical suggestions are offered to help public relations practitioners counteract these unflattering portrayals.
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Papers by Joshua M. Bentley
strategies depending on how much responsibility for the crisis stakeholders attribute
to organizations. However, theory has not fully addressed what organizations ought
to say when responsibility for the crisis is ambiguous, as in a data breach crisis. This
study uses a content analysis to (i) examine what organizations say in response to
data breaches and (ii) compare what organizations say after data breaches with what
organizations say when they are clearly responsible. The findings suggest that organizations are more likely to acknowledge responsibility and show empathy when
they are clearly to blame, but are more likely to invite contact and advise stakeholders
how to protect themselves in data breach situations.
communication, but they have defined and operationalized apologies
inconsistently. This study uses a grounded theory approach to explore
what constitutes an effective organizational apology from the perspective
of organizational stakeholders. One hundred participants were asked to
imagine being the victims of a data breach at an online retailer and to write
the kind of apology they would like to receive from the organization. One
hundred more participants were asked to write suggestion lists for how the
organization could make its apology effective. These data were analyzed
using a constant comparative method. Fifteen apology elements were
identified and organized along two dimensions: (a) whether the element
involved primarily words or behavior and (b) whether the element focused
on fixing the problem or rebuilding relationships. Based on the data, these
elements must be combined to make an apology effective with stakeholders.
build his public image after he made offensive remarks about law student
Sandra Fluke in early 2012. A close reading of Limbaugh’s public statements
reveals that Limbaugh employed the strategies of evading responsibility, reduc-
ing offensiveness, and mortification (i.e., apologizing). However, Limbaugh’s
apology was more of a pseudo-apology than a genuine apology. This article
argues that Limbaugh adopted the strategies he did because the nature of
political talk radio makes it more important to maintain a good public image
with the audience than with political opponents or even advertisers.
strategies depending on how much responsibility for the crisis stakeholders attribute
to organizations. However, theory has not fully addressed what organizations ought
to say when responsibility for the crisis is ambiguous, as in a data breach crisis. This
study uses a content analysis to (i) examine what organizations say in response to
data breaches and (ii) compare what organizations say after data breaches with what
organizations say when they are clearly responsible. The findings suggest that organizations are more likely to acknowledge responsibility and show empathy when
they are clearly to blame, but are more likely to invite contact and advise stakeholders
how to protect themselves in data breach situations.
communication, but they have defined and operationalized apologies
inconsistently. This study uses a grounded theory approach to explore
what constitutes an effective organizational apology from the perspective
of organizational stakeholders. One hundred participants were asked to
imagine being the victims of a data breach at an online retailer and to write
the kind of apology they would like to receive from the organization. One
hundred more participants were asked to write suggestion lists for how the
organization could make its apology effective. These data were analyzed
using a constant comparative method. Fifteen apology elements were
identified and organized along two dimensions: (a) whether the element
involved primarily words or behavior and (b) whether the element focused
on fixing the problem or rebuilding relationships. Based on the data, these
elements must be combined to make an apology effective with stakeholders.
build his public image after he made offensive remarks about law student
Sandra Fluke in early 2012. A close reading of Limbaugh’s public statements
reveals that Limbaugh employed the strategies of evading responsibility, reduc-
ing offensiveness, and mortification (i.e., apologizing). However, Limbaugh’s
apology was more of a pseudo-apology than a genuine apology. This article
argues that Limbaugh adopted the strategies he did because the nature of
political talk radio makes it more important to maintain a good public image
with the audience than with political opponents or even advertisers.