Image, Public Speaking, and The John Rocker Press Conference

Chris Schippers

Reference:

Barton, M. H., & Turman, P. D. (2003). Image, Public Speaking, and The John Rocker Press Conference. Communication Teacher, 17(3), 7-9. http://ezproxy.uvu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=31746589&site=ehost-live

Theme:

This article talks about an activity for students, using a mock press conference about baseball player John Rocker, to repair his image.  It teaches students the principles of public speaking and how the use of these principles can be applied to repair a person's public image through press conferences and media releases.

Summary:

·         Society in the United States is overly concerned about public image.

·         It is important for students to recognize how the creation and dissemination of messages can be understood by examining the communication goals associated with creating, maintaining, and/or repairing an image.

·         The article talks about an activity of a mock press conference.

·         This activity focuses on student participation in a mock press conference about John Rocker and proceeds in three steps.

·         John Rocker's actions on the field and in a later interview with Sports Illustrated tarnished his image as well as those on his team and those around him.

·         The first step in the activity is to assign readings to students and then have a brief discussion about the two readings.

·         The second step involves providing students with a copy of John Rocker's interview with Sports Illustrated followed by a handout with strategies for apologia.

·         Examples of the strategies for apologia are: denial, bolstering, transcendence and image repair strategies.

·         After reading the interview and strategies the students are then placed in groups to act as though they were a public relations firm.

·         Each group is to choose one apologia strategy or one image repair strategy which would be most effective for Rocker to use to respond to the public in a press conference setting.

·         They then prepare a 3-4 min statement for him to read in a press conference.

·         The instructor should set a sports press conference atmosphere in which the activity it to take place.

·         The activity emphasizes how statements and strategies are influential in changing public opinion

Application to the Lesson Topic:

This article uses a press conference activity to teach students the impact of the media and public speaking.  This relates to the lesson topic in that it teaches students how to create speaking points and focus on the essential speaking points to get their message across.

Application to Emergency Services:

Even though this article doesn't mention emergency services a single time, it can still be applied to our field.  This message can be used by a PIO or Liaison of a department if they ever have to deal with a lawsuit or anything that questions the character of their employees.  Not to mention, this article offers guidelines on how to prepare a message under short notice, of which a PIO will have to do quite often in their career.