Network Analysis of Agenda Building in NFL Crisis Situation

• In Event: The Power of Trust in Public Relations

Abstract

Highlighting the need for a strategic communication process during a crisis situation, three levels of agenda building were explored in terms of the stakeholders, reputation attributes, and image restoration strategies in the context of NFL domestic violence issues. A quantitative content analysis was conducted with public relations messages collected from corporate and stakeholder media, news media coverage, and public opinion on social media. As a result, our data showed more meaningful association at the level of attributes than objects, and confirmed the mediation role of news media in the agenda building process. To discuss the effectiveness of public relations efforts by multiple stakeholders, agenda-building associations were also compared by stakeholder sources and types of messages.

Authors

• Ji Young Kim, University of Hawaii at Manoa

• Tiffany Lynn Schweickart, University of Florida

• Jordan Neil, University of Florida

• Tianduo Zhang, University of Florida

• Liudmila Khalitova, U of Florida

• Barbara Myslik, U of Florida

• Craig E. Carroll, New York University

• Spiro K. Kiousis, U of Florida