Joe Paterno, the former football coach at Penn State, is enduring a huge barrage of media attention because of child sex scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant coach, that Paterno did not sufficiently report when he found out. Paterno was fired by the Penn State Board of Trustees before he got to retire at the end of the football season after his 46 year-long career, because the allegations are so serious and grave.
In order to navigate the complicated situation, Paterno has hired a crisis communications expert from TMG Strategies. So far, Paterno has issued a statement on the matter: ”This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.”
The whole case has people bitterly divided with emotion as well. Students are currently rioting at Penn State in protest of Paterno’s firing, as he is considered a beloved, legendary part of the school. The media has been all over the angry chaos going on at Penn State, which is creating a difficult image for the university to control. Ashton Kutcher got some negative feedback when he tweeted his support for Joe Paterno, unaware of the whole scandal behind his firing.
I think Penn State will definitely have to work hard to rebuild a respectable image of accountability and trust with the public, students and community, especially the victims’ families.
Some questions to think about:
Are the students trivializing the sexual abuse allegations in order to defend their university’s sport team or is there more to the story?
By getting a PR expert, is Paterno helping or harming himself in his quest to defend his innocence?
What should other colleges and universities do in reaction to the Penn State scandal and to prepare themselves should something similar happen?
Joe Paterno, the former football coach at Penn State, is enduring a huge barrage of media attention because of child sex scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant coach, that Paterno did not sufficiently report when he found out. Paterno was fired from his position before he got to retire at the end of the football season after his 46 year-long career.
In order to navigate the complicated situation, Paterno has hired a crisis communications expert. So far, Paterno has issued a statement on the matter: “This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.”
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/story/2011-11-08/penn-state-paterno-crisis-management/51127528/1
