title: Unique crisis response strategies in sports public relations: Rugby league and the case for diversion

authors: Bruce, Toni

subjects: crisis communication

abstract: Sport is a unique ‘product’ in that most of its messages and images are conveyed through media coverage rather than through advertising or sales campaigns. While the coverage is usually positive, media interest becomes more problematic in high profile scandals which can be very damaging. In this paper, we propose that the culture of elite men's sport and its interdependence with mass media creates a situation in which sports public relations personnel have access to crisis communication strategies not previously specified in the existing literature. Based on textual analysis of media coverage of an Australasian men's rugby league salary cap scandal, we argue that, in certain situations, a sports organisation may draw upon a crisis response strategy that we term diversion in order to successfully limit the damage to the organisation's reputation. In particular, we suggest that the often intense ‘relationship’ that fans have with players may allow team sports to focus attention on players (and fans) as innocent victims with the result that negative publicity for the sport overall is reduced.

text: Unique crisis response strategies in sports public relations: Rugby league and the case for diversion Sport is a unique ‘product’ in that most of its messages and images are conveyed through media coverage rather than through advertising or sales campaigns. While the coverage is usually positive, media interest becomes more problematic in high profile scandals which can be very damaging. In this paper, we propose that the culture of elite men's sport and its interdependence with mass media creates a situation in which sports public relations personnel have access to crisis communication strategies not previously specified in the existing literature. Based on textual analysis of media coverage of an Australasian men's rugby league salary cap scandal, we argue that, in certain situations, a sports organisation may draw upon a crisis response strategy that we term diversion in order to successfully limit the damage to the organisation's reputation. In particular, we suggest that the often intense ‘relationship’ that fans have with players may allow team sports to focus attention on players (and fans) as innocent victims with the result that negative publicity for the sport overall is reduced.

year: 2008

title: The Thames high school endowment at Waiorongomai

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Before it was known that gold existed nearby, the government selected a block of land at Waiorongomai as an endowment to fund a proposed high school at Thames. Sections of varying sizes and quality were surveyed and leased, at what were commonly viewed as excessive rates, and for decades lessees requested reductions and on many occasions asked the government to take over the endowment. As the goldfield faded, some small farmers abandoned their sections but others succeeded despite being under-capitalized. In the twentieth century, noxious weeds created on-going problems for those remaining on the land.
The high school board, which supervised the farmers, was accused of not assisting them, notably by not providing access roads. The endowment was never as profitable for the high school as had been anticipated, and in 1949 it, like all similar endowments, was abolished.

text: The Thames high school endowment at Waiorongomai Before it was known that gold existed nearby, the government selected a block of land at Waiorongomai as an endowment to fund a proposed high school at Thames. Sections of varying sizes and quality were surveyed and leased, at what were commonly viewed as excessive rates, and for decades lessees requested reductions and on many occasions asked the government to take over the endowment. As the goldfield faded, some small farmers abandoned their sections but others succeeded despite being under-capitalized. In the twentieth century, noxious weeds created on-going problems for those remaining on the land.
The high school board, which supervised the farmers, was accused of not assisting them, notably by not providing access roads. The endowment was never as profitable for the high school as had been anticipated, and in 1949 it, like all similar endowments, was abolished.

year: 2016

title: Research reflections on making visible the experiences of Kāpō Māori during and after COVID-19

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

abstract: Introduction: 
This piece reflects on our research process when undertaking face-to-face interviews with tāngata kāpō (Māori people who are blind, deafblind, low vision or vision impaired). Particular attention is given to the access requirements of tāngata kāpō and the intersections of Māori and disability. These experiences are shared as learning opportunities for others who are undertaking research in ways that are mindful of Tiriti and disability obligations, and in the current COVID-19 environment.

text: Research reflections on making visible the experiences of Kāpō Māori during and after COVID-19 Introduction: 
This piece reflects on our research process when undertaking face-to-face interviews with tāngata kāpō (Māori people who are blind, deafblind, low vision or vision impaired). Particular attention is given to the access requirements of tāngata kāpō and the intersections of Māori and disability. These experiences are shared as learning opportunities for others who are undertaking research in ways that are mindful of Tiriti and disability obligations, and in the current COVID-19 environment.

year: 2021