Hero turned villain
In PR we are taught that the mass media are a very powerful resource and
that they can be a person’s rise to fame or downfall to disgrace. The mass
media has turned many ordinary people into prominent figures through reality TV
shows such as survivor and has also ensured that people who do wrong and who
were once respected prominent figures have taken the dive from hero to zero.
Oscar Pistorius is one of those prominent figures that had to take the dive
from hero to zero, when he shot and killed his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
at his Pretoria home, more details surrounding this story can be found at http://goo.gl/pIYwTt Oscar Pistorius was an inspiration to many, known worldwide as the ‘Blade Runner’
who was a very successful Paralympic athlete who often competed among competitors who had no disabilities. Oscar's achievements and challenges are
briefly summarised by Julia Zhu through the following timeline http://goo.gl/SBluoF
Double amputee Oscar Pistorius making history at the London 2012 Olympic games as he competes in the men's 400m heat among competitors without disabilities.
Source: Unique Nature Wallpapers. http://goo.gl/5isnfE
Is
Oscar’s reputation redeemable?
Oscar Pistorius, in my opinion will have a tough time trying to
redeem his reputation irrespective of whether or not he is found guilty
of his former girlfriend’s murder. Building up a reputation like the one Oscar
had took many years of hard work both on and off the track. I do not believe
that Oscar’s reputation can be redeemed no matter how good of a PR team he
hires the mass media will always question the credibility and sincerity of his
actions, like they did when Oscar held a private memorial service for Reeva
more on that story found at http://goo.gl/5TMz5F
Source: Google Images. http://goo.gl/IK7dVn
The mass media has ensured that whenever we
think about Oscar we think of the events which transpired the morning of the 14
February 2013 it is human nature to forget all the good someone
has done and concentrate on the bad. We have witnessed this in South Africa
when looking at how difficult it is for people who have committed crimes to
start a fresh even once they have done the time and have been reformed very few
companies are willing to hire them. The inability of human beings to look past
the bad and concentrate on the good is why I believe that Oscar’s reputation is
irredeemable.
It will also be difficult for him to build up his reputation if
he struggles to regain the sponsorship that he had once possessed because his
prominence came from his tenacity to not allow his disabilities to define him
as a person and make a name for himself through the sport of athletics.
Oscar Pistorius heart broken after losing Nike sponsorship due to the controversy surrounding his name.
Source: Google Images. http://goo.gl/TAzeaP
'The bullet in the chamber' advertisement which Nike had to pull due to the controversy created by Oscar's murder case
Source: YouTube. http://goo.gl/JSjN2o
He should
however try by all means to regain the prestige that was once associated
with his name but I don’t think his attempts will be fruitful irrespective of
whether he intentionally or unintentionally killed Reeva, blood on ones hands
is not easily washed off. Also the media earn their money by broadcasting/publishing bad news, because bad news sells. A perfect example is provided by the image below which illustrates how the media sensationalize stories to provide different angles in an attempt to make stories more newsworthy. These are all factors which influence the way a person is perceived.
Source: Google Images. http://goo.gl/jwWvOH
Great view on how the social media impacted on the entire Oscar and Reeva situation, from your post I read a few interesting facts about the case itself and I'm impressed at how you were able to identify critically how social media played its role in the case. Your views are in depth yet simple which makes me want to read it more than just once. GREAT POST!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I really appreciate it. I'm glad I was able to provide the relevant content that made you find the post interesting. Have you picked up any flaws? If so please let me know, because there's always room for improvement.
ReplyDeleteYour insight of the case is useful as you’ve pointed out some facts which I have missed. The media does play an important role in adding or degrading a public-eye-figures reputation. In saying so, Oscar cannot get away with a brutal murder of an innocent lady who still had a bright future ahead of her. It will take a miracle for Oscars Pr team to re-establish his reputation, which has been dragged down to the gutters.
ReplyDeleteAny person’s reputation is important, it will take a lifetime to build a good reputation, but one fall to throw it away.
I agree Hanna that no one should get away with murder but we are not discussing the legal aspects surrounding the case if we were we would be looking at intention which is what Oscar's case is being fought on not whether he shot and killed Reeva. But even though it will be difficult to start a fresh he should make attempts to win back the public's trust and faith.
ReplyDeleteYou have stated valid points about the Oscar scenery and I find it credible that you have provided materials that supports the content but I still think that Oscar deserves to go to jail because he murdered his wife.Social media has also played a valid role in the Oscar situation.
ReplyDeleteSolomon although you make relevant points I believe in the law and I believe that we should allow it to take its course and justice will be served but on his guilt I remain objective.
ReplyDeleteyour post is on point hey and what interests me the most is that you actually have facts to go with.I really must say that this Oscar case is a big deal and hard one and although we don't know yet if he did it of not, to me Oscar his heading to prison i mean there is no way out of this mess.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your view. Personally i think social media, newspapers & television channels locally & international had a major influence in creating a bad reputation towards Oscar Pistorius. It is also important to know that all this bad reputation and bad publicity about him was created, because of the serious murder he committed on 14 February 2013.
ReplyDeleteThank you Felicia, your comments are appreciated. But on his guilt I'll reserve judgement because I believe in innocent until proven guilty.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Denver and the murder taking place on Valentines Day adds to the theatrics of the whole story. The media has ensured that there's no return for Oscar's reputation.
ReplyDeleteMr preston I do understand you and I do support your argument, however I still think though as a PRP you still must try somehow by all means to assist him in gaining he's reputation, I believe that though the task might seem impossible I believe that ,there is were you should dive and rise to your job-description challenge, remember its your job to do your best in he's image building as a PRP, all said with due respect
ReplyDeleteI feel as though the media played a part in Oscar's downfall, I mean you know how the media has a way of rewriting simple and straight forward facts into long paraded play-outs. This does not mean we are covering up for what happened the night he murdered his girlfriend, that is for the law enforcers to decide whether he is guilty or not and not the media.
ReplyDeleteValentine I do understand the job description of a PRP and if you read my post more attentively you would have picked up close to the ending that I did say that he should try his best to regain the prestige that was once associated with his name. However, with that said I don't believe that his reputation can be saved unless you have some miracle PR strategy that you're willing to share?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Ntsako it is not up to the media nor the public to pass judgement because the law is not everyone's area of expertise.
ReplyDelete