Journal of Business and Technical Communication Apr 1992

Ecological Disaster and Rhetorical Response: Exxon's Communications in the Wake of the Valdez Spill

LISA TYLER

Abstract

On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez struck a reef, releasing 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound. This study examines Exxon's communication efforts in the wake of that disaster and identifies communication practices on Exxon's part that damaged the corporation's credibility, antagonized the public, and contributed to the public perception of its corporate arrogance.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
1992-04-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651992006002001
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
rhetorical criticism
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Vealey (2015)
    Book Review: Social Media in Disaster Response: How Experience Architects Can B…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  2. Markel (1997)
    Ethics and technical communication: a case for foundational approaches
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

References (70)

  1. Adler, Jerry (1989)
    Newsweek
  2. (1989)
    New York Times
  3. America's Biggest Oil Spill. Videocassette. Writ. and prod. John Tracy. Alaska Video Pu…
  4. Frontline
  5. 10.1177/002194368001700304
     ↗
Show all 70 →
  1. Behar, Richard (1989)
    Time
  2. Bennett, Amanda (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  3. Nova
  4. Bonfante, Jordan (1989)
    Time
  5. Church, George J. (1989)
    Time
  6. (1990)
    New York Times
  7. Cushman, John H., Jr. (1989)
    New York Times
  8. Davidson, Art.
    In the Wake of the Exxon Valdez: The Devastating Impact of the Alaska Oil Spill
  9. Deutsch, Claudia H. (1989)
    New York Times
  10. Dolan, Carrie (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  11. Egan, Timothy (1989)
    New York Times
  12. Egan, Timothy (1989)
    New York Times
  13. Egan, Timothy (1989)
    New York Times
  14. Egan, Timothy (1989)
    New York Times
  15. Egan, Timothy (1989)
    New York Times
  16. Engler, Robert (1989)
    Nation
  17. (1989)
    New York Times
  18. (1989)
    New York Times
  19. Nightline
  20. (1989)
    New York Times
  21. (1989)
    New York Times
  22. 10.1111/j.1460-2466.1961.tb00344.x
     ↗
  23. 10.1177/002194368802500104
     ↗
  24. Harrison, E. Bruce (1989)
    Public Relations Journal
  25. Hodgson, Bryan (1990)
    National Geographic
  26. Holusha, John (1989)
    New York Times
  27. Holusha, John (1989)
    New York Times
  28. Hylton, Richard D. (1989)
    New York Times
  29. Keeble, John
    Out of the Channel: The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound
  30. Lemonick, Michael D. (1989)
    Time
  31. Lukaszewski, James E. (1989)
    Public Relations Quarterly
  32. Mauer, Richard (1989)
    New York Times
  33. Mauer, Richard (1989)
    New York Times
  34. McCoy, Charles (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  35. McCoy, Charles (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  36. National Council of Teachers of English (1989)
    Convention News
  37. Nulty, Peter (1989)
    Fortune
  38. (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  39. Rawl, L. G. (1990)
    New York Times
  40. Rawl, Lawrence (1990)
    Time
  41. Rawl, Lawrence (1989)
    Fortune
  42. Raymond, Lee R. (1989)
    New York Times
  43. Rudolph, Barbara (1989)
    Time
  44. Satchell, Michael (1989)
    U.S. News and World Report
  45. Schneider, Keith (1989)
    Adweek's Marketing Week
  46. Shabecoff, Philip (1989)
    New York Times
  47. Shabecoff, Philip (1989)
    New York Times
  48. Shabecoff, Philip (1989)
    New York Times
  49. Sikorski, Gerry (1989)
    New York Times
  50. Sullivan, Allanna (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  51. Sullivan, Allanna (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  52. Sullivan, Allanna (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  53. Sullivan, Allanna (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  54. Sullivan, Allanna (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  55. Suro, Roberto (1989)
    New York Times
  56. Suro, Roberto (1989)
    New York Times
  57. 10.2307/1311258
     ↗
  58. Wald, Matthew L. (1989)
    New York Times
  59. Wald, Matthew L. (1989)
    New York Times
  60. Wells, Ken. (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  61. Wells, Ken. (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  62. Wells, Ken (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  63. Wells, Ken (1989)
    Wall Street Journal
  64. Winkleman, Michael (1989)
    Adweek's Marketing Week
  65. Witteman, Paul A. (1990)
    Time
CrossRef global citation count: 13 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Computers and Composition Jun 2026
    Navigating platform algorithms: Global south feminist activists’ rhetorical and composition practices in digital advocacy on social media ↗
    Kalpana Shrestha
    rhetorical criticism social media gender and writing
  2. Computers and Composition Jun 2026
    Legacies, commitments, and new challenges: The Sweetland Digital Rhetoric Collaborative interviews three generations of Computers and Composition editors ↗
    Ali Alalem; Alyse Campbell; Thais Rodrigues Cons; Funmilola Fadairo; Nicole Koyuki Golden
    rhetorical criticism collaborative writing digital rhetoric
  3. Computers and Composition Jun 2026
    How Baldwin's voice moved Cambridge: Activation contours, mimesis, and a computational approach to rhetoric's sensorium ↗
    David M. Rieder; Michael R. Jackson
    rhetorical criticism
  4. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly May 2026
    Andrew Carnegie and the Rhetorical History of Business and Professional Communication ↗
    Joe Edward Hatfield
    rhetorical criticism teacher development professional writing archival research
  5. Written Communication May 2026
    Tuning In: Rhetorical Attunement as a Methodological Practice for Collaborative Research ↗
    Amber Hedquist; Liliana Caughman; Claire Lauer
    rhetorical criticism collaborative writing