#CancelTheDuggars and #BoycottTLC: Image repair or exploitation in reality television

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#CancelTheDuggars and #BoycottTLC: Image repair or exploitation in reality television Alyssa Diulio, Colleen E. Arendt

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Concordia University, St. Paul, United States

AR TI CLE I NF O

AB S T R A CT

Keywords: TLC Reality television Image repair Reducing offensiveness Social media

This case study examined the network TLC’s response to Josh Duggar’s (from their reality show 19 Kids and Counting) confirmation that he molested young girls, including two of his sisters, when he was a teenager. While TLC was not responsible for the molestation, their proximity to the family and their relationship with the Duggars led to criticism and thus, a plan to improve their image. Overall, TLC relied on four different tactics to assist their image repair efforts: (a) delayed and minimal responses, (b) reducing offensiveness, (c) minimizing the severity of the situation, and (d) ineffective social media use. We argue these four strategies were unsuccessful tactics. Specifically, their decision to wait two months to cancel 19 Kids and Counting, to air a documentary on sexual abuse featuring the two sisters victimized by Josh Duggar and their later decision to give these two sisters their own spin-off series calls into question the ethical and exploitative nature of their response.

1. Introduction Often individuals or organizations implement image repair campaigns in the wake of scandals or crises directly related to them, while others court controversy because of their associations. For examples, college and universities become apologists when students, such as athletes, are accused of sexual assault (see Fortunato, 2008; Len-Rios, 2010, for their analysis of how Duke University handled the lacrosse team’s rape allegations). This case study examines how the network TLC handled their image when one of their reality shows, 19 Kids and Counting, came under fire when the oldest son admitted to molesting young girls as a teenager, including two of his younger sisters. Reality television is an understudied yet important genre to examine as it dominates the landscape of entertainment television. Its market share has grown from approximately 20% in 2001 to 40% in 2013 (Writers Guild of America, East, 2013). In 2015 alone, 750 reality television shows aired on cable, a figure that is a staggering 83% higher than scripted television. Of those 750 reality shows, 350 were new shows (VanDerWerff, 2016). However, reality television’s outlook is not as promising as these numbers might suggest. Schneider (2017) writes that “Reality TV has become a mature business, which means the shows are more expensive, profit margins have been squeezed, and ratings are down—yet producers are being asked to do more” (para. 3). Unfortunately, these circumstances could pressure producers and network executives to approve programming with controversial content and “stars” whose antics, scandals, or crimes could threaten a network’s reputation. This article examines one such case.

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Corresponding author at: Department of Communication Studies, Concordia University St. Paul, 1282 Concordia Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104, United States. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (A. Diulio), [email protected] (C.E. Arendt).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.12.001 Received 29 January 2017; Received in revised form 5 November 2017; Accepted 13 December 2017 0363-8111/ © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Please cite this article as: Diulio, A., Public Relations Review (2017), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.12.001

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2. Literature review 2.1. Image repair One’s reputation often suffers in the aftermath of a crisis. Image repair,1 therefore, focuses on repairing the image of an organization or individual in crisis. Ulmer, Sellnow, and Seeger (2015) explain that “an effective response is designed to repair the organization’s damaged image or reputation” (p. 28). Two theories important to image repair are Benoit’s Image Repair Theory and Coombs’ Reputation Repair Strategies. Each theory includes multiple image repair strategies, some of which overlap. First, Benoit’s (1995, 2015) theory includes five repair categories, or image repair strategies: (a) denial, (b) evasion of responsibility, (c) reducing offensiveness, (d) corrective action and (e) mortification. Coombs’ (1999) image repair strategies include many similarities to Benoit’s (1995) typology, although Coombs provides a few key differences. These strategies include: (a) nonexistence, (b) distance, (c) ingratiation, (d) mortification, (e) suffering, (f) diminishment, and (g) rebuilding. 2.1.1. Corporate apologia Similar to Benoit and Coombs’ strategies, Corporate Apologia is the discourse of self-preservation (Ware & Linkugel, 1973). Hearit (2004) expanded this definition, adding that apologia is “a response to criticism that seeks to present a compelling competing account of organizational accusations” (p. 502). The five different communication strategies of Apologia include: (a) denial, (b) counterattack, (c) differentiation, (d) apology, and (e) legal (Hearit, 2006). Strategies are selected based on the amount of responsibility the accused is held accountable for. 2.2. Relevant strategies Between Benoit (1995, 2015) and Coombs’ (1999) typologies and corporate apologia, three strategies, or substrategies, are particularly relevant to the current study: reducing offensiveness, distance, and differentiation, 2.2.1. Reducing offensiveness Reducing offensiveness is one of Benoit’s (1995, 2015) strategies. This occurs when an attempt is made to reduce the public’s negative feelings about the accused. Benoit (1995) described six variants including (a) bolstering: the accused aims to reinforce the public’s positive feelings towards them; (b) minimization: the public is swayed to believe “that the negative act isn’t as bad as it might first appear” (p. 24); (c) differentiation: the undesirable action is described as another “similar but less desirable” (p. 24) action; (d) transcendence: when the objectionable act is discussed in a contrasting framework; (e) attacking the accuser: when the accused lessens the reliability of the accuser; and (f) compensation: when the accused offers a form of compensation to the victim. Bentley (2012) studied the image repair strategies Rush Limbaugh image used in 2012 after he made offensive comments about law student Sandra Fluke on the air. Fluke had testified at a Congressional hearing about the lack of birth control coverage by student health insurance. Limbaugh criticized the student’s testimony, called her offensive names, and made other inappropriate remarks about the situation. He was quoted saying “What does that make her? It makes her a slut right? It makes her a prostitute” (Bentley, 2012, p. 228). The following day he added “If we are going to pay for your contraceptives and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something for it. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch” (Bentley, 2012, p. 228). Reducing offensiveness was one of a few strategies Limbaugh utilized. Bentley (2012) noted that he tried to minimize the public’s negative feelings through transcendence and bolstering. Limbaugh used transcendence when he said “for over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week. In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation” (Bentley, 2012, p. 231). He later used bolstering when he said “never, ever, do any of us on our side of the aisle try to suppress the speech or the voices of those with whom we disagree, and we never will” (Bentley, 2012, p. 231). These approaches assisted him in regaining the support of his followers. In another example, Toyota also used reducing offensiveness, specifically minimization, during the crisis stemming from their need to recall automobiles due to sudden, unintended acceleration that resulted in numerous crashes, some fatal. The company originally claimed that “no serious accidents could be attributed” (George, 2012, p. 238) to their products. George (2012) argued that this tactic, mixed with their initial denial, was not successful in correcting the company’s deteriorating reputation. 2.2.2. Distance One of Coombs’ (1999) strategies applicable to the current study is the distance strategy. The distance strategies accept and acknowledge a crisis while “weakening the linkage between the crisis and the organization” (Coombs, 1999, p. 451); this lessens the negativity reflected upon the organization, which in turn avoids a damaged reputation. The two sub-strategies are excuse and justification. The goal of the excuse strategy is to reduce responsibility for a crisis (Coombs, 1999). By reducing responsibility, the negative feelings towards the accused should be minimal. The excuse strategy includes denial of intention and denial of volition. The second strategy, justification, “seeks to minimize the damage associated with the crisis” (Coombs, 1999, p. 451). The accused aim to sway the public into believing that the crisis is not as bad as it appears, oftentimes comparing the crisis to a similar, but worse, 1

We use the term image repair in this article to refer to both image repair and image restoration.

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crisis. The three sub-strategies within justification include: (a) minimizing injury, (b) victim deserving, and (c) misrepresentation of the crisis event. 2.2.3. Differentiation This strategy from the Corporate Apologia perspective is used to distance oneself from responsibility. One admits to being somewhat responsible for an act but there are factors that lessen accountability. Specifically, fault is admitted but it is made clear that it was an accident. The use of differentiation often does more harm than good. For example, Janssen (2012) analyzed Aetna, Inc.’s post crisis situation. Specifically, when slavery was still legal in the United States, the organization issued slave insurance policies for owners of slaves. They employed differentiation to alleviate any reputational damage. While the company did issue apologies for their historical involvement, they also claimed that the information regarding the policies was inaccurate and questionable. Janssen (2012) found that Aetna Inc.’s use of differentiation further hurt the company’s reputation because this type of apology appears insincere. 2.3. Role of social media Social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, can be a powerful tool in crisis communication and image repair strategies. As social media’s popularity grew, so too did its role in disseminating apologia and supporting image repair during crisis. Schultz, Utz, and Göritz (2011) argue that the medium is more important than the message, as they found that relaying crisis communications via social media evoked more positive reactions than traditional forms of media. Utz, Shultz, and Glocka (2013) found that “crisis communication via social media is better for an organization’s reputation and reduces unfavorable secondary crisis reactions” (p. 46). One characteristic that makes social media so attractive is that information can be accessed and disseminated instantaneously. Using social media can positively affect apologia efforts when integrated into an organization’s communication plan (Hussain & Rawjee, 2014). This medium is quicker, more communicative, and allows more interfacing between the public and the organization involved in the crisis. During a crisis, it is equally important for both the public and the organization to participate in online communication. It is possible for the public’s online interactions to impact an organization; this can be especially relevant with “predisposed publics” (Coombs & Holladay, 2014, p. 51), or stakeholders supportive before a crisis. During a crisis, organizations must monitor their social media accounts. More specially, an organization should do more than merely monitor their online forums and accounts, they should engage in a dialogue strategy. Romenti, Murtarelli, and Valentini (2014) argue that: a dialogue strategy could be used to participate in online conversations with the intent to reinforce organisational [sic] image during crisis… to offer solutions and presents own position...or even to engage stakeholders in helping the organisations [sic] to find best solutions to respond to the crisis. (p. 27) Unfortunately, too many organizations do not engage with their displeased publics as they feel uneducated and ill equipped on how to manage bad publicity on social media (Horn et al., 2015). 2.4. Related case study research 2.4.1. Controversy by association Regarding a case where the apologist is not directly at fault, but nevertheless connected to the controversy, Duke University engaged in various image repair strategies in 2006 when some members of the lacrosse team were accused of rape and sexual assault (Fortunato, 2008). Although the case specifically involved the students, the university’s reputation was also affected. Duke reduced offensiveness by emphasizing the positive characteristics of the university. President Richard Brodhead motivated students to communicate the positives, with hopes of minimizing negative feelings toward the university. They also used mortification, by apologizing and taking full responsibility for the offense. Brodhead even apologized directly to the victim. Duke also used corrective action to show the public that the university was taking action to prevent another similar occurrence in the future. They formed “committees that were convened to investigate and address the university student-athlete culture” (p. 121) to accomplish this. Fortunato could not measure effectiveness of these strategies as he felt that Duke enrollment and alumni contributions should be measured over a longer period of time to understand if their strategies helped their reputation. 2.4.2. Apologia and reality television Almost no research has focused on the apologetic or image repair research within the reality television genre. Arendt, LaFleche, and Limperopulos’ (2017) meta-analysis of 110 apologia and image repair articles across 51 peer-reviewed journals from 1986 to 2016 featured a variety of contexts and industries but only one article connected to reality television. That article happened to feature another controversial TLC reality show, Jon and Kate Plus 8. Jon and Kate Plus 8 featured Jon and Kate Gosselin and their eight children, two eldest daughters (twins) and sextuplets. In 2009, Jon and Kate Gosselin faced reputational damage after they publicly declared they were filing for divorce. The announcement came following various media reports of unfaithfulness ruining their marriage. Moody (2011) analyzed the image repair strategies by both Jon and Kate in two different phases; before and after the divorce was final. In phase one, they both evaded responsibility. This approach did not help either individual restore their positive images. In phase two, Kate used reducing offensiveness. It is unclear if this approach was successful or not, but it did not create any further negative feelings about her. Jon Gosselin used mortification in 3

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the second phase of image repair (Moody, 2011). He admitted his guilt and apologized to the public for the way he was acting postdivorce. Although Jon was the only one of the two to apologize, Kate found more success in gaining back support of the fans. Moody (2011) argues that this was due to reasons outside of the strategies they used. For example, she had full custody of their eight children and the timing of the release of her strategies always came before Jon’s. We can only speculate why so little image repair research focuses on the reality television genre. Perhaps it has not captured the attention of researchers because much of reality genre is cast, filmed, and edited in order to maximize drama. Thus, attempts at apologia might appear inauthentic. However, while apologia and image repair might not work for reality television stars, if those stars’, or producers’, actions on- or off-camera are deemed too graphic or offensive, then those connected to the show, including the network and sponsors, might find themselves defending their association. 2.5. Case study: TLC TLC found themselves defending such an association with the Duggar family in 2015. The Duggar family starred in their own reality television show on TLC called 19 Kids and Counting. The show followed Jim-Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 children through their daily lives. In 2015, TLC and the Duggar Family fell under fire when reports surfaced that the family’s eldest, Josh Duggar, had “admitted to molesting five underage girls as a teenager” (Marcus, 2016, para. 1), including two of his sisters. In addition, not long after he confirmed the reports—he had, in fact, molested his sisters—hackers leaked database information from the website Ashley Madison, a website that enables people to cheat on their partners. Duggar’s name and credit card information were found during the leak with a matching address to his grandmother’s home in Virginia. An adult entertainment actress is also suing him for assault and battery after claiming that he “manhandled” (Marcus, 2016, para. 10) her so badly that she felt she was being raped. Because of the scandal, the family’s once positive reputation is being questioned by fans worldwide because they are not the wholesome people portrayed on their reality show. 2.6. Summary and research questions Based on the review of relevant image repair strategies and case studies, as well as a brief overview of social media’s role in crisis, this study of TLC’s handling of the Duggar molestation crisis poses the following research questions: RQ1a: What image repair strategies did TLC use in response to Josh Duggar’s admitted molestation of his sisters? RQ1b: In what ways were these strategies successful or unsuccessful? 3. Method 3.1. Texts We analyzed press releases, Facebook, Twitter and other various media outlets in order to gather information on TLC’s image repair and corporate apologia efforts. 3.2. Instruments We utilized Benoit’s (1995) Image Repair theory, Coombs’ (1999) Reputation Repair Theory typologies, and Corporate Apologia to code the data gathered. We created an “other” category for any messages that fell outside of the existing codes. We also noted the social media outlet used, if applicable, as well as the dates statements were released to gauge the timeliness of their communications. 3.3. Procedure We employed Google alerts, newspaper articles, Facebook, Twitter, and Google to gather pertinent data. We used keywords such as: (a) correct; (b) apologize; (c) accident; (d) resolve; (e) legal; (f) future; (g) change; (h) Duggar; (i) TLC; (j) scandal; and (k) crisis to gather the data. We also searched TLC’s owned media sites (e.g.; Facebook; Twitter; their own web site) in order to locate any statements the network made regarding the Duggar scandal. TLC released five statements over the course of the scandal. These statements included one or more existing image repair strategies. To code our data, we used Benoit’s image repair strategies, Coombs’ repair strategies, and the image repair strategies of Corporate Apologia to identify those used by TLC. We then coded each strategy under the corresponding typology using a spreadsheet we created. Any statement that fell outside of the strategies were initially coded as “other” and then analyzed using principles of grounded theory using open and axial coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). Initially, there were nine TLC strategies coded as “other.” These were analyzed and categorized by similarities. Because we could not collapse the nine “other” strategies into as robust a category as existing strategies, we did not include it in our final themes. Next, we decided to focus specifically on Twitter to gauge the conversation surrounding the scandal, particularly because Twitter’s use of hashtags makes it easy to follow what people are saying. Specifically, we analyzed a total of 124 tweets about TLC and the Duggar scandal between May 19, 2015, the day the scandal first broke, and October 1, 2016, which was approximately seven weeks following the last statement from TLC, which was August 15, 2016. We found the 124 tweets using the hashtags: #CancelTheDuggars, #DuggarFamily, #DuggarScandal and #BoycottTLC. We selected those four hashtags because those four 4

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Fig. 1. Timeline of Scandal.

appeared frequently and immediately in our initial gathering of tweets. 4. Results & discussion Following Josh Duggar’s confirmation of the molestation reports, many criticized both the Duggar family for perpetuating a false wholesomeness and TLC for giving the family a venue. Therefore, because of this association, TLC had to engage in image repair in the wake of the scandal. Our analysis showed that TLC’s image repair attempts ultimately worked against their objective to change the way critics perceived their company after the Josh Duggar molestation and sex scandals. While network viewership was not compromised, the public’s perception of the network’s integrity has been. In fact, according to the Nielsen figures, TLC’s overall viewership increased following the crisis (Radar Staff, 2015, para. 1). This certainly calls into question whether their strategies were, in fact, effective. We argue, however, that though their viewership did not suffer, they nevertheless acted insensitively and unethically in their exploitation of the scandal and particularly of the victims. We uncovered four themes during our analysis of their image repair that demonstrate TLC’s tactics and how they affected the company’s overall image; (a) delayed and minimal responses, (b) reducing offensiveness, (c) ineffective social media use, and (d) minimizing the severity of the situation. Fig. 1 provides a visual timeline of the events shaping the scandal. 4.1. Delayed and minimal response One tactic that TLC used throughout their crisis was minimal and lack of prompt responses. They made few statements about the crisis and when they did, they waited weeks and even (eight) months following the onset of the scandal to respond. Some of the strategies that the company utilized were: (a) ignoring the initial scandal, (b) untimely responses, (c) cancelling the show far too long after the scandal was announced, and (d) providing a vague response to questions surrounding their silence. On May 19th, 2015, rumors surfaced that the oldest, Josh Duggar, molested his sisters (Lee, 2015). Then on May 21, 2015 the reality star publicly confirmed that the allegations were true (Lee, 2015). TLC, the network on which the Duggar’s show, 19 Kids and Counting, aired, remained silent throughout these events. Many news sources reported on TLC’s silence. Christian Today wrote: “the network kept mum about the issue” (Ong, 2016a, para. 2). Badash (2015) reported that the only communication TLC released was a 5

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tweet on May 21st linking to a statement the Duggars gave PEOPLE magazine (para.10) as well as an official statement on May, 22nd that stated: Effective immediately, TLC has pulled all episodes of 19 Kids and Counting currently from the air. We are deeply saddened and troubled by this heartbreaking situation, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family and victims at this difficult time. (Lee, 2015, para. 8) The public waited for a more detailed statement regarding the scandal, but that did not transpire quickly. Following Duggar’s confession, the network aired a marathon of the show (on the day of Josh’s announcement as well as the day after). Countless viewers were unhappy with the network’s decision to air a marathon of the show at that time, especially before they entirely addressed the scandal. On Twitter, many users were very vocal regarding the marathon and their aversion to TLC’s inattentiveness to the issue. One user tweeted “TLC’s Memorial Day Duggars marathon ridiculous! @TLC #DuggarScandal #TLC Let them know….” (RlalbrechtTroy, 2015), while another vented directly to TLC: “@TLC is a 19 kids and counting marathon really appropriate right now?!? #CancelTheDuggars” (Kate_Meg12, 2015) and also one other user tweeted “And yet @TLC has a Duggar marathon on now!!! Seriously??? #boycott @TLC #CancelTheDuggars #Cancel19Kids—NO ONE NEEDS A LITTLE @TLC ANYMORE” (coolbeans18, 2015). TLC ignored viewers’ dissatisfaction concerning the marathon. Their minimal response showed insensitivity for their viewers and their lack of understanding of the severity of the scandal. Because the network did not delay airing the show, many viewers began to perceive the network negatively. If TLC had cancelled the marathon that weekend, perhaps their viewers would not have grown angry so quickly after the scandal was announced. Aside from not pulling the previously scheduled marathon, the first action that TLC took after Josh Duggar confirmed the molestation allegations was cancelling all reruns from airing on the network. They did this on May 22, 2015 (Bowerman, 2015, para. 26), only one day after Josh Duggar’s statement. Many were not pleased with the small action that TLC took. On Twitter, one user stated “The best @tlc can do is pull the reruns? Cancel the show #duggarunfamilyvalues #DuggarScandal #duggarscoverup” (MN_Finn, 2015). On May 26, 2015, TLC still had not removed a photograph of the Duggar family on their website, which also caused issues for some critics: “So @TLC still has the duggar’s as their background pic! Talk about out of touch! #duggarfamilyvalues #DuggarScandal” (ForQ2, 2015). Various TLC viewers were unsatisfied with the company’s delayed response because they felt that the TLC was being hypocritical. The network dealt with a similar case with one of their other reality shows “Here Comes Honey Boo”, where they did cancel the show very quickly. Some users expressed their unhappiness with TLC’s disregard for that incident: “Tlc canceled Honey Boo. For the same exact reasons. Pedophilia! Only difference is this family claims to be holy. #TLC #DuggarScandal” (stanrich187, 2015); “@tlc must #CancelTheDuggars hypocritical fam and so is the network if they dont #cancelduggars #honeybooboo was cancelled same #nomolestors” (JennaTheresa, 2015); “#19kidsandcounting is still scheduled on @TLC for tonight! #CancelTheDuggars honey boo boo should sue if it's not!!!!!!!” (metal_mama3, 2015); and “@TLC I agree with momma June! If you allow #TheDuggars to stay on your network then you're a hypocrite! #DuggarScandal” (alyssa61414, 2015). TLC’s insignificant and insufficient responses to these important aspects of the scandal tarnished their image in multiple ways. Their response was considered minimal and it appeared that the company was not taking the issue as seriously as they should have been. Also, by not taking the same actions as they did with their other show with a similar scandal, the company looked to be favoring certain types of families. This favoritism was very distasteful as the family starring in “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” was a lower income family that was portrayed as having lower intelligence whereas the Duggars were a middle class, Christian family. TLC did not announce that they were cancelling 19 Kids and Counting until July 16th, 2015. This was two months after the scandal was first publicized. In a public announcement, the network stated “after thoughtful consideration, TLC and the Duggar family have decided to not move forward with 19 Kids and Counting. The show will no longer appear on the air” (TLC, 2015, para. 1). Many viewers were vocal regarding the fact that they wanted TLC to cancel the show. One article stated: “There are petitions circulating to take ‘19 Kids and Counting’ off the air, and who can blame angry viewers who for years were sold a bill of goods that turned out to be Christian hypocrisy, hate, and lies?” (Badash, 2015, para. 14). Many even tweeted their opposition, using the hashtag #CancelTheDuggars. Some of those tweets included: “@TLC @people Your money supports this. Your soapbox gives their bigoted, sexist views oxygen. #CancelTheDuggars” (dangerousmezzo, 2015); “I wouldn’t say this is TLCs fault however keeping the show on air will be TLCs fault. #CancelTheDuggars #19kidsandcounting #JoshDuggar” (olib9, 2015); “@TLC #19Kids trivia #bonus round! How many sisters did Josh molest and how long has TLC known? #CancelTheDuggars” (me_over_there, 2015); and “#CancelTheDuggars good idea. Are you listening @TLC? (TessaHutchy, 2015). Then, in January 2016, eight months after Josh admitted he molested his sisters, TLC finally addressed questions regarding the network’s silence in the midst of the scandal: Every decision we’ve made has been done very thoughtfully and carefully about what is in the best interests of the people involved in the network. Our first priority is making sure that there’s a health and well-being of our families first and foremost. (Donguines, 2016, para. 7) The statement scarcely answered the public’s question as to why the network remained silent for so long. TLC dragged the issue on for too long, causing some viewers to be suspicious and displeased with the company’s morals—which they took to Twitter and social media to voice. Instead of waiting two months after the scandal began, they should have worked more quickly on a solution. Their lack of action tarnished their image, as it made it appear that the company supported molestation, incest, and abuse, or at minimum tolerated it for the sake of profits.

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4.2. Reducing offensiveness Unsuccessful response time was not the only ineffective strategy utilized by TLC. The company also employed reducing offensiveness. This is when the accused attempts to lessen the public’s negative feelings about them. Some of the reducing offensiveness strategies that TLC utilized were: (a) partnering with sexual abuse advocacy groups and (b) airing documentaries starring the victims. On July 16th, with the network’s announcement that they were cancelling 19 Kids and Counting, the company also announced their recent partnership with two abuse advocacy groups. Their official statement said: The recent attention around the Duggars has sparked a critical and important conversation about child protection. Over these past weeks, TLC has consulted regularly with leading victims’ rights and advocacy organizations in the U.S., including RAINN and Darkness to Light, to discuss how to use this moment to address the issue and make a positive impact. Unfortunately, child sexual abuse is not an isolated issue; it affects many children and families around the world. To that end, we are partnering with both organizations on a multi-platform campaign to raise awareness and educate parents and families about the issue. (TLC, 2015, para. 2–3) When questioned further in 2016 about the topic, Nancy Daniels, TLC General Manager, was also quoted as saying: As soon as we found out about it, we circled back with our family. This was something that had happened years ago. How do we handle it now? We pulled the show. We connected with RAINN and Darkness to Light to figure out the appropriate response. (Ge, 2016, para. 4) TLC’s partnership with RAINN and Darkness to Light showed that the company tried to reduce offensiveness caused by the scandal, more specifically, they used the bolstering tactic, which is a subcategory of reducing offensiveness that involves trying to strengthen the public’s positive feelings about the network. This tactic was a positive method for the network to employ as it showed they cared about sexual abuse victims and their families. However, they waited for two months after the scandal was announced to announce their partnerships with these organizations. Additionally, Nancy Daniels’ mentioned that the molestation occurred before TLC became involved with the family, thus trying to diminish their role in the scandal. This statement could be considered the distance strategy (from Coombs’ typology) or differentiation (from corporate apologia). To review, both strategies accept and acknowledge a crisis while ‘weakening the linkage between the crisis and the organization’ (Coombs, 1999, p. 451). In addition to partnering with RAINN and Darkness to Light, another tactic TLC utilized to reduce offensiveness was the company’s decision to air documentaries that focused on Josh Duggar’s sisters and victims. On July 16th, TLC released a statement regarding the special on their website: TLC will work closely with both groups and with the Duggar family on a one-hour documentary that will include Jill and Jessa and other survivors and families that have been affected by abuse. TLC has been especially concerned for the victims in this situation, including the Duggar family, and it is our hope that this effort will help those in need learn where to turn for information and help. The documentary will be commercial free, and we anticipate it will air later this summer. (TLC, 2015, para. 3–4) One documentary, “Breaking the Silence” (Ong, 2016b) featured the two Duggar sisters molested by their brother Josh discussing the child molestation case. The second documentary was titled “Jill and Jessa: Counting On,” (Ong, 2016b) and featured the sisters discussing motherhood, ministry, as well as Josh’s unfaithfulness to his wife. While the network may have felt that the Duggar’s return to television through this documentary would be a highly anticipated move, it was actually highly criticized by many. Angry viewers and critics felt it was unacceptable for TLC to allow the Duggar family to return to television because they felt it exploited not only the issue but the victims as well . One blogger wrote: The executives at TLC recently looked at their Rolex watches and realized that it’s been about 198 days, 4 h, 23 min and 10 s since they pushed 19 Kids and Counting to the side. They probably figured that enough time has gone by for everyone to have completely forgotten about how one of the Duggars child touched his sisters and his parents dribbled out a river of holy bullshit while defending him. The TLC executives are right. We all have the memory of a goldfish with amnesia, so we don’t at all remember all of that and we’ll probably say, “What is this fresh new wholesome show?”, when TLC puts out the trailer for the new seasons of 19 Kids. (K, 2016, para. 1) In retrospect, TLC was right to acknowledge the problem through a documentary as they had done so little up to that point to address the situation. The problem, that they were clearly insensitive to, was that they were also bringing attention to the molester and his victims. Viewers did not think it was right for the company to bring any attention to Josh Duggar or the scandal itself. In a press conference, Daniels stated that one of the network's responses to the Josh Duggar scandal was the documentary: “to put the word out about a situation that doesn’t really get talked about” (Marcus, 2016, para. 6). Essentially, a TLC documentary about sexual abuse, without including any of the Duggar family, would have helped the network appear to care about the issue of sexual abuse, while also saving them from the criticism after giving unwanted attention to the abuser and his victims. 4.3. Minimizing the severity of the scandal The insensitive nature of the documentary demonstrated TLC’s focus on making money and raising ratings to pre-scandal levels instead of acknowledging the severity of the molestation scandal. In addition, on August 15th, 2016, approximately 15 months after 7

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the scandal broke, TLC announced they would be airing a new spin off show revolving around Jessa and Jill Duggar, Josh’s sisters and also two of his victims. One blogger wrote: TLC has faced consistent criticism for its decision to give the Duggars a new show just months after Josh Duggar’s molestation and sex scandals forced 19 Kids and Counting off the air. The network’s three-part Jill & Jessa: Counting On special, which aired last December, as a test run for a 19 Kids spinoff; the special made little mention of Josh Duggar, though it did feature his wife Anna’s first official interview following Josh’s sex addiction treatment. (John, 2016, para. 1) Some criticism came from Twitter users stating their opinion regarding the spinoff of 19 Kids and Counting. One user tweeted at TLC stating: “@TLC @drdrew No spinoffs! Th [sic] girls are brainwashed and promote suppression. COUNSELING not TV! #TLC #DuggarScandal” (ursusduras, 2015) while another posted “So, instead of closing all ties with the Duggars, @TLC now wants to do a spin off show. Keep it classy. #DuggarScandal” (TheNomad83, 2015). Many companies that advertised during the Duggar’s show pulled out of their contracts with TLC so as to not be associated with the family any longer: According to Siegel (2016), “At least 15 companies pulled their ads from Counting On, including Wrigley, Cici’s Pizza, and Verizon.” (para. 7). The pulled ads was discussed online as well. Gritreid tweeted “@tlc #CancelTheDuggars it looks like tlc silent. We have to get ad money to stop. @MonsantoCo @Tropicana @RentACenter @Cvs @StateFarm” (2015). Some critics even felt that TLC’s plans to give the Duggar sisters a new series on television was because they lost so much money when they cancelled 19 Kids and Counting. One website reported that: TLC lost $19 million when they pulled out the hit series in the small screen. The site emphasized that if overlooking the damages the family had caused to the company means that the company could regain back “some of the millions” they've lost. If this materializes, it shouldn't come as a shock that a reboot would be launched in 2016. (Panganuron, 2016, para. 3) Browning (2016) argued that TLC “downplayed concerns that they would be using the family for their own financial gain” (para. 5) but many critics did not believe this, especially after creating the new show following two Duggar sisters. Viewers were questioning the ethics and exploitation of TLC’s actions. As rumors surfaced about the network possibly renewing 19 Kids and Counting, people immediately displayed their unhappiness without knowing if there was any truth to the reports: Now, TLC is coming under fire from many who are angered by and in disbelief over the possibility that the network would actually bring back a series about an ultraconservative family that is staunchly anti-LGBT and that tried to hide one of its own member’s history of incestuous child molestation. “It’s apparent that TLC is uninterested in the Duggar family’s vicious crusade of lies against LGBT Americans,” one blogger commented. “Naturally, this will give the family the opportunity to again hold themselves up as paragons of Christian wholesomeness and virtue, despite having covered up their son’s propensity for child molestation. (Villegas, 2016, para. 5) Airing a new series that followed the two victims and sisters, Jessa and Jill Duggar, was an interesting tactic for TLC. It was clear the network did this to generate revenue, but they failed to think about the disappointment that many critics had with the announcement of the series. The network hardly addressed the new series, which also hurt their image, though they were likely trying to avoid sparking more conversations and outrage online. The company also ignored the rumors regarding bringing back the cancelled 19 Kids and Counting. The network would have benefitted by acknowledging the rumors, instead of letting angry viewers disseminate negative information online. 4.4. Ineffective social media use Not only did TLC minimize the severity of the scandal, they failed to take advantage of addressing conversations that were taking place online and they did not utilize social media as an outlet to defend their image. Unfortunately for the company, many people voiced their negative opinions about the show and the network online. One website discussed the online community’s negative actions stating: Since the revelation of the Josh Duggar molestation scandal in April last year, ratings of the show and discussions in social media took a negative turn which prompted the TV station to finally cancelled [sic] the show in mid-July last year. (Loro, 2016, para. 2) On Twitter, many users treated the case like the scandal was TLC’s fault. One user stated: “Dear #TLC: Maybe it's time to stop making dysfunctional families into celebrities. #RuinedChildhoods #DuggarScandal” (RhonaRaskin, 2015). Another tweeted: “everyone is complicit in the #DuggarScandal – @TLC, the family (not the survivors – but members who knew and hushed it up), & viewers” (KevinAllred, 2015). Finally, one user tweeted: “@TLC – WTF is wrong with you? You're supporting a #CHILDMOLESTER?!? #CancelTheDuggars #Cancel19KidsAndCounting #DuggerFamily #DuggarScandal” (Heidiverstunts, 2015). Regardless of the angry communication by viewers and other critics, the network did nothing to protect their image when this communication was being circulated. Various online communications poked fun at the situation, while mentioning TLC by name in the Tweets. User andeepittzyo tweeted: “Coming to TLC next fall, ‘18 kids and one kid molester.' #DuggarScandal” (2015) while bethann78 tweeted: “Band name idea: Touched By A Duggar #Duggars #DuggarScandal” (2015) and another user tweeted: “It doesn’t get much creepier than the Duggars #DuggarScandal” (Dexdeb, 2015). Another trending topic that was discussed on Twitter was critics questioning whether or not TLC knew about the scandal all along but kept airing the show regardless. One user tweeted: “#DuggarScandal – Did TLC PR Dept 8

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knew [sic] about this and ignored it to keep milking the sponsors?” (adri_vaz, 2015). Fortunately for the network, there was a small amount of positive feedback on Twitter regarding how the company was handling the crisis. One Twitter user stated: “TLC is pulling all episodes of the #DuggarScandal show off the air. Good move” (FuzzyWuzzyTO, 2015). TLC did not disseminate any counter communication to the public to lessen negative feelings. The network continually used the non-responsive tactic, even with the positive communication that was occurring online. Not responding to positive communication made the company appear to not care about the crisis at all. It also appeared that they didn’t understand the size of the issue. Had the network been more active on their social media accounts by tweeting information, or replying to users’ tweets, they could have possibly helped salvage their reputation while dealing with the crisis. Instead, it appears as though they were hoping to ride out the scandal, trying to regain viewers and revenue while minimizing scrutiny. They waited fifteen months to announce a spinoff, and ultimately their total viewership as a network did not suffer, though they had their ethics called into question throughout the scandal. 4.5. Summary of findings Overall, TLC relied on four different tactics to assist their image repair efforts: (a) delayed and minimal responses, (b) reducing offensiveness, (c) minimizing the severity of the situation, and (d) ineffective social media use. We argue these four strategies were unsuccessful tactics. When TLC did not disseminate communication to viewers quickly, or sometimes at all, they essentially did more damage to their image because the public expected clear statements from the company regarding the incident. Reducing offensiveness had a similar result for the network because TLC waited too long to partner with advocacy groups, and they also brought unwarranted attention to the molester and his victims. Another mistake TLC made was to ignore the severity of the crisis by filming their spinoff show that focused on two of Josh’s victims, Jessa and Jill Duggar. Finally, TLC’s lack of social media use did not help in their image repair efforts because the company missed their opportunity to defend themselves when berated online. While there were positive aspects to some of the four findings, such as the cancellation of the show as well as their association with the sexual abuse advocacy groups, we argue that their four strategies overall negatively impacted their image repair efforts, especially because, while their network viewing numbers increased over the life of the scandal, some of their strategies were (as we and others have argued) unethical and exploitative. Cancelling the show, making a statement denouncing child abuse and partnering with advocacy groups immediately are just three actions TLC could have taken when Josh Duggar admitted to molesting his sisters and other young girls. Then, as a fourth action, airing a documentary that did not include Josh Duggar’s victims would have further helped TLC restore their image instead of creating and prolonging bad publicity and would have minimized attacks on their ethics and exploitative practices. 4.6. Implications Our analysis demonstrates how inadequate strategies can cause additional damage and harm stakeholders’ perceptions of the accused. This study is beneficial for organizations as well as public relations professionals as there is much to learn from the case. Below we outline five implications of this case study. One important aspect that organizations and professionals should focus on is the utilization of social media accounts during times of crisis. As Schultz et al. (2011) found, using social media to relay communication is more effective than the use of other mediums. The use of social media can positively affect image repair and apologia efforts when used in an organization’s communication plan (Hussain & Rawjee, 2014). Social media allows quicker interfacing between the public and an organization. Our analysis suggests that TLC was unsuccessful in communicating online and received negative feedback from the public because of it, which further exacerbated their crisis. These companies did not utilize other social media and online forums to perform damage control but instead stayed silent and/or used their websites for advertising purposes only. TLC erred in not utilizing their social media accounts, especially in response to the public’s criticism throughout each crisis. This affected each company’s reputation because the initial lack of controlled communication efforts prompted the public to create their own interpretations and speculations surrounding the issue. Second, our analysis also revealed other practical as well as theoretical implications. Researchers, organizations and public relations practitioners can benefit from our finding that delayed responses and/or minimal communication regarding issues causes further damage in the image repair process, as seen by TLC’s lack of communication during their crisis. TLC used delayed and minimal responses when addressing their crises, further harming their reputations. Responding too late (or sometimes not at all) to specific concerns extended the timeline of TLC’s issues, ultimately damaging the way customers and stakeholders perceived them. Third, TLC underestimated the severity of the scandal when they aired their new series starring the very sisters Josh Duggar molested. This was an ineffective tactic for the company as well because it hurt their image, rather than repair it. In addition, TLC only released the announcement regarding the spin off show on their website rather than through multiple media outlets. By ignoring the severity of their crisis, TLC ultimately hurt the company because many critics were very aware that the company was not taking the situation seriously. Additionally, our analysis revealed that reducing offensiveness can negatively affect image repair efforts when used incorrectly. Reducing offensiveness was unsuccessful for TLC when they partnered with RAINN and Darkness to Light because they waited two months to connect with these organizations, and it was also unsuccessful when they filmed the documentaries featuring Jessa and Jill Duggar, both his sisters and victims. Filming the documentary actually generated an adverse response from the public because TLC brought attention to a molester, a response some deemed inappropriate. Finally, as mentioned previously, reality television has dominated the landscape of television for years, with 750 reality television 9

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shows airing on cable in 2015 alone, 83% more than scripted television (VanDerWerff, 2016). Despite this domination, producers are increasingly feeling the pressure of higher expenses yet lower ratings and profits (Schneider, 2017). The pervasiveness of reality television combined with increasing pressures make reality television worthy of the attention of public relations scholars if only because the quest for fame and profits could lead to questionable decision making with significant consequences. Researchers should be ready to examine the rise—and potential fall—of reality television’s networks and stars. 4.7. Limitations This study contains a few limitations. First, this study included only an analysis of TLC’s released statements and social media accounts. This limited the findings because different types of additional data, such as surveys and focus groups, could have potentially uncovered more findings. Second, regarding data gleaned specifically from social media, we focused on Twitter primarily and did not examine TLC’s other social media accounts. Not only does TLC have Twitter and Facebook accounts, but they also have YouTube, Instagram, Google+, and Pinterest. In addition, studying tweets on social media accounts can be a precarious method due to the prevalence of Twitter “bots”, or automated accounts that can post spam, or tweets either attacking or supporting other accounts. However, for this study, we considered negative tweets as something that TLC—and anyone following them—would see and therefore should consider when crafting their public relations strategies. Finally, our analysis focused only on the immediate ramifications of the scandal. As this study provides only a snapshot of each crisis and immediate fallout thereafter, we do not know if either company will suffer long term consequences or will rebound. 4.8. Directions for future research To address these limitations, future researchers should revisit this issue in a few years to determine the long term damage, if any, to TLC. Researchers might also examine Josh Duggar’s image repair strategies, as well as any strategies employed by other Duggar family members. It would also be helpful for future researchers to analyze additional social media pages operated by TLC, especially as new social media tools become more popular in the future. They should also investigate the entire online presence of these and other organizations being studied. Finally, future researchers could benefit from incorporating other types of data collection strategies such as the use of surveys, focus groups, or interviews. 5. Conclusion This analysis examined TLC’s Duggar molestation scandal. While TLC was not responsible for the molestation, their proximity to the family and their relationship with the Duggars led to increased criticism of the network. TLC’s image repair efforts were negatively affected by delayed and minimal responses which harmed their reputations and affected the way that the public perceived them. They also ignored the benefit a heavy social media presence could bring, especially during the crisis. Both public relations professionals and organizations could benefit from our analysis as this case exemplifies (a) the importance of timely responses and strategies that adequately address the severity of a crisis while also (b) exhibiting compassion to those who have been harmed, and (c) a social media strategy that attests that you hear the public’s feedback while trying to remedy the circumstances. References adri_vaz (2015, May, 22). #DuggarScandal—Did TLC PR Dept knew about this and ignored it to keep milking sponsors? Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/adri_vaz/ status/601866662908928000. alyssa61414 (2015, May, 26). @TLC I agree with momma June! If you allow #TheDuggars to stay on your network then you're a hypocrite! #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/alyssa61414/status/603355669559934976. andeepittzyo (2015, May, 22). Coming to TLC next fall, ‘18 kids and one kid molester.' #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/andeepittzyo/status/ 601880497753456641. Arendt, C. E., LaFleche, M., & Limperopulos, M. A. (2017). A qualitative meta-analysis of apologia, image repair, and crisis communication: Implications for theory and practice. Public Relations Review, 43(3), 517–526. Badash, D. (2015). After 3 days of Josh Duggar child molestation sex scandal, ‘19 Kids’ producers TLC still silent. Retrieved from: http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement. com/davidbadash/after_3_days_of_josh_duggar_child_molestation_sex_scandal_19_kids_producers_tlc_still_silent. Benoit, W. L. (1995). Accounts, excuses, and apologies: Image repair theory and research. Albany, New York: SUNY Press. Benoit, W. L. (2015). Accounts, excuses, and apologies: Image repair theory and research (5th ed.). Albany, New York: SUNY Press. Bentley, J. M. (2012). Not the best: What Rush Limbaugh’s apology to Sandra Fluke reveals about image restoration strategies on commercial radio. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 19(2), 221–238. bethann78 (2015, May, 21). Band name idea: Touched By A Duggar #Duggars #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/bethann78/status/ 601566994601627648. Bowerman, M. (2015). Timeline: Duggar sex-abuse scandal. Retrieved from: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2015/05/28/timeline-josh-duggar-19-kidsand-counting-tlc-sex-abuse-scandal/28066229/. Browning, B. (2016). Their prayers answered: TLC bringing back ’19 Kids and Counting’. Retrieved from: http://www.advocate.com/television/2016/2/03/their-prayersanswered-tlc-bringing-back-19-kids-and-counting. Coombs, T. W., & Holladay, S. J. (2014). How publics react to crisis communication efforts. Journal of Communication Management, 18(1), 40–57. http://dx.doi.org/10. 1108/JCOM-03-2013-0015. coolbeans (2015, May, 21). And yet @TLC has a Duggar marathon on now!!! Seriously??? #boycott @TLC #CancelTheDuggars #Cancel19Kids—NO ONE NEEDS A LITTLE @TLC ANYMORE. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/coolbeans18/status/601541735748087808.

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Coombs, W. T. (1999). Choosing the right words: The development of guidelines for the selection of the appropriate crisis-response strategies. Management Communication Quarterly, 8(4), 447–476. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0893318995008004003. dangerousmezzo (2015, May, 21). @TLC @people Your money supports this. Your soapbox gives their bigoted, sexist views oxygen. #CancelTheDuggars. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/dangerousmezzo/status/601542935822213120. Dexdeb (2015, May, 22). It doesn’t get much creepier than the Duggars #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/Dexdeb/status/601713576127041536. Donguines, A. (2016). ‘19 Kids and Counting’ revival rumors: Will TLC bring back the cancelled show this year? Retrieved from: http://www.christianpost.com/news/19kids-and-counting-revival-rumors-will-tlc-bring-back-the-cancelled-show-this-year-154698/. ForQ2 (2015, May, 26). So @TLC still has the duggar’s as their background pic! Talk about out of touch! #duggarfamilyvalues #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/ForQ2/status/603199308691808256. Fortunato, J. A. (2008). Restoring a reputation: The Duke University lacrosse scandal. Public Relations Review, 34(2), 116–123. FuzzyWuzzyTO (2015, May, 22). TLC is pulling all episodes of the #DuggarScandal show off the air. Good move. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/FuzzyWuzzyTO/ status/601834424024604673. Ge, L. (2016). Duggar scandal: TLC GM grilled on network’s screening process. Retrieved from: https://www.thewrap.com/duggar-scandal-tlc-gm-grilled-on-networksscreening-process/. George, A. M. (2012). Japan (Toyota) delays, denials, recalls, and apologies: Fixing the dent in Toyota’s image. In G. M. Amiso, & C. B. Pratt (Eds.). Case Studies in Crisis Communication: International perspectives on hits and misses (pp. 227–246). New York, NY: Routledge. Gritreid (2015, May 21). @tlc #CancelTheDuggars it looks like tlc silent. We have to get ad money to stop. @MonsantoCo @Tropicana @RentACenter @Cvs @ StateFarm. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/gritreid/status/601556586310438912. Hearit, K. (2004). Corporate apologia. SAGE Publications Inc. Hearit, K. M. (2006). Crisis management by apology: Corporate response to allegations of wrongdoing. Routledge. Heidiverstunts (2015, May, 27). @TLC—WTF is wrong with you? You're supporting a #CHILDMOLESTER?!? #CancelTheDuggars #Cancel19KidsAndCounting #DuggerFamily #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/Heidiverstunts/status/603681927804002305. Horn, I. S., Taros, T., Dirkes, S., Hüer, L., Rose, M., Tietmeyer, R., et al. (2015). Business reputation and social media: A primer on threats and responses. Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice, 16(3), 193–208. Hussain, S. B., & Rawjee, V. P. (2014). Crisis communication at higher education institutions in South Africa: A public relations perspective. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, 6(2), 144. Janssen, C. I. (2012). Addressing corporate ties to slavery: Corporate apologia in a discourse of reconciliation. Communication Studies, 63(1), 18–35. JennaTheresa (2015, May, 21). @tlc must #CancelTheDuggars hypocritical fam and so is the network if they dont #cancelduggars #honeybooboo was cancelled same #nomolestors. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/Jennatheresa/status/601543733369155584. John (2016). Jill & Jessa season 2 at risk as Duggar family tries to save show from cancellation. Retrieved from: http://starcasm.net/archives/351191. K, M. (2016). Praise Jesus! 19 Kids and Counting might be coming back to TLC. Retrieved from: http://dlisted.com/2016/02/03/praise-jesus-19-kids-and-countingmight-be-coming-back-to-tlc/. Kate_Meg12 (2015, May, 21). @TLC is a 19 kids and counting marathon really appropriate right now?!? #CancelTheDuggars. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/ Kate_Meg12/status/601531428048740352. KevinAllred (2015, May, 22). everyone is complicit in the #DuggarScandal – @TLC, the family (not the survivors – but members who knew and hushed it up), & viewers. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/KevinAllred/status/601906833628995584. Lee, E. (2015). Josh Duggar cheats on wife: A comprehensive timeline of his scandals from molestation to Ashley Madison revelations. Retrieved from: http://www. usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/josh-duggar-cheats-timeline-of-scandals-from-molestation-to-cheating-2015208. Len-Rios, M. E. (2010). Image repair strategies, local news portrayals and crisis stage: A case study of Duke University’s lacrosse team crisis. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 4, 267–287. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2010.515534. Loro, J. (2016). Duggar family reported to return to TLC maybe with Josh Duggar. Retrieved by http://www.newseveryday.com/articles/31292/20160203/duggar-familyjosh-duggar-19-kids-and-counting-tlc.htm. me_over_there (2015, May, 21). @TLC #19Kids trivia #bonus round! How many sisters did Josh molest and how long as TLC known? Retrieved from: https://twitter. com/me_over_there/status/601499501753409537. metal_mama3 (2015, May, 21). #19kidsandcounting is still scheduled on @TLC for tonight! #CancelTheDuggars honey boo should sue if it's not!!!!!!! Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/metal_mama3/status/601515848583520258. MN_Finn (2015, May, 22). The best @tlc can do is pull the reruns? Cancel the show #duggarunfamilyvalues #DuggarScandal #duggarscoverup. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/MN_Finn/status/601833499113435139. Marcus, S. (2016). TLC exec addresses Josh Duggar scandal during TCA panel. Huffpost Entertainment. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tlc-execduggar-scandal_us_568fcc61e4b0cad15e646404. Moody, M. (2011). Jon and Kate Plus 8: A case study of social media and image repair tactics. Public Relations Review, 37(4), 405–414. olib9 (2015, May, 22). I wouldn't say this is TLCs fault however keeping the show on air will be TLCs fault. #CancelTheDuggars #19kidsandcounting #JoshDuggar. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/olib9/status/601614951439069184. Ong, C. (2016a). TLC exec opens up on Josh Duggar scandals: ‘We have had our challenges’. Retrieved from: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/tlc.exec.finally. opens.up.on.josh.duggar.scandals.we.have.had.our.challenges/76042.htm. Ong, C. (2016b). Will ‘19 Kids and Counting’ go back on the air this year? Camera crews seen trailing Duggar family members again. Retrieved from: http://www. christiantoday.com/article/will.19.kids.and.counting.go.back.on.the.air.this.year.camera.crews.seen.trailing.duggar.family.members.again/78749.htm. Panganuron, C. M. (2016). ‘19 Kids and Counting’ reboot: TLC brings back the Duggars to regain millions of fans lost? Retrieved from: http://en.koreaportal.com/articles/ 13591/20160125/19-kids-and-counting-reboot.htm. Radar Staff (2015). Sorry Duggars! TLC ratings skyrocket after taking ‘19 Kids & Counting’ off the air – headed for permanent cancellation? Retrieved from: http:// radaronline.com/celebrity-news/josh-duggar-sex-scandal-tlc-ratings-rise/. RhonaRaskin (2015, May, 22). Dear #TLC: Maybe it's time to stop making dysfunctional families into celebrities. #RuinedChildhoods #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/RhonaRaskin/status/601880470863745024. RlalbrechtTroy (2015, May, 22). TLC's Memorial Day Duggars marathon ridiculous! @TLC #DuggarScandal #TLC Let them know…. Retrieved from: https://twitter. com/RlalbrechtTroy/status/601767991450030081. Romenti, S., Murtarelli, G., & Valentini, C. (2014). Organisations’ conversations in social media: Applying dialogue strategies in times of crises. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 19(1), 10–33. Schneider, M. (2017). Unscripted producers feel squeeze of growing expenses, reduced pay. Retrieved from: http://variety.com/2017/tv/features/unscripted-producerssurvey-state-of-business-1201967584/. Schultz, F., Utz, S., & Göritz, A. (2011). Is the medium the message? Perceptions of and reactions to crisis communication via twitter, blogs and traditional media. Public Relations Review, 37(1), 20–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2010.12.001. Siegel, M. (2016). Duggar net with issues continue as Josh returns to family car business...Will TLC cancel ‘Counting On’ after advertisers pulled? Retrieved from: http://www. hollywoodtake.com/duggar-net-worth-issues-continue-josh-returns-family-car-business-will-tlc-cancel-counting-162646. stanrich187 (2015, May, 22). Tlc canceled Honey Boo. For the same exact reasons. Pedophilia! Only difference is this family claims to be holy. #TLC #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/stanrich187/status/601756473048244226. Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. TLC (2015). An official statement from TLC. Retrieved from: http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/19-kids-and-counting/an-official-statement-from-tlc/. TessaHutchy (2015, May, 21). #CancelTheDuggars good idea. Are you listening @TLC? Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/TessaHutchy/status/ 601511494082256896.

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TheNomad83 (2015, May 28). So, instead of closing all ties with the Duggars, @TLC now wants to do a spin off show. Keep it classy. #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/TheNomad83/status/603993719281307648. Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2007). Effective crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ursusduras (2015, May, 27). @TLC @drdrew No spinoffs! Th girls are brainwashed and promote suppression. COUNSELING not TV! #TLC #DuggarScandal. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/ursusduras/status/603639090924363777. Utz, S., Schultz, F., & Glocka, S. (2013). Crisis communication online: How medium, crisis type and emotions affected public reactions in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Public Relations Review, 39(1), 40–46. VanDerWerff, T. (2016). 750 reality TV shows aired on cable in 2015. Yes, 750. Retrieved from: https://www.vox.com/2016/1/7/10728206/reality-shows-howmany-peak-tv. Villegas, J. (2016). ‘19 Kids and Counting’ rumors, news: The Internet reacts to rumors that Duggar family series is returning to TLC. Retrieved from: http://www. christianpost.com/news/19-kids-and-counting-rumors-news-the-internet-reacts-to-rumors-that-duggar-family-series-is-returning-to-tlc-156722/. Ware, B. L., & Linkugel, W. A. (1973). They spoke in defense of themselves: On the generic criticism of apologia. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 59(3), 273–283. Writers Guild of America, East (2013). The real cost of Reality TV: How the nonfiction television industry steals tens of millions of dollars from New York taxpayers. Retrieved from: https://www.wgaeast.org/wp-content/uploads/typo3/user_upload/_temp_/WHITE_PAPER_-_Real_Cost_of_Reality_TV.pdf.

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