Chapter 1 introduces the communication problem this book teaches about: scandals. Organizations may find themselves in a scandal when their preferred public perception and their current public perception do not align. Scandals are closely tied to two areas of communication theory, organizational communication and crisis communication, which are defined in this chapter. In particular, scandals are related to crises, or moments that pose a serious threat that must be responded to with urgency. This chapter outlines the key terms of crisis and scandal, provides contemporary scandal examples, and concludes with a discussion of why the current media and public environment seems to generate such a strong interest in scandals.