#CancelTheDuggars and #BoycottTLC: Image repair or exploitation in reality television

This case study examined the network TLC's response to Josh Duggar's (from their reality show 19 Kids and Counting) confirmation that he molested young girls, including two of his sisters, when he was a teenager. While TLC was not responsible for the molestation, their proximity to the family and their relationship with the Duggars led to criticism and thus, a plan to improve their image. Overall, TLC relied on four different tactics to assist their image repair efforts: (a) delayed and minimal responses, (b) reducing offensiveness, (c) minimizing the severity of the situation, and (d) ineffective social media use. We argue these four strategies were unsuccessful tactics. Specifically, their decision to wait two months to cancel 19 Kids and Counting, to air a documentary on sexual abuse featuring the two sisters victimized by Josh Duggar and their later decision to give these two sisters their own spin-off series calls into question the ethical and exploitative nature of their response.