Disaster at a Chile mine known as San Jose
Jami Richesin
BCOM275
December 17, 2013
John Hamilton
Disaster at a Chile mine known as San Jose
San Jose, a gold and copper mine in Chile collapses and traps 33 miners 2,300 feet below the surface. Family, friends, and co-workers are devastated from this news. Two million people around the world were glued to the edge of their seats watching the story unfold minute by minute. Chileans were skeptical as the days wore on without any communication from the men that had been trapped in the mine. There was no word of the miners’ fate for 17 days, until rescue workers were able to bore through to find that the men were still alive (The New York Times, 2011).
When conveying a message of this magnitude, compassion and integrity are of utmost importance. When dealing with family and friends of the men trapped, news reporters and others involved must be clear, concise, consistent, and courteous due to the horrifying circumstances of this incident. If there is no effective communication in this case, messages are likely to be misconstrued. Remaining positive and concise will give friends and family a sense of relief and hope that their loved ones are okay. Messages from government officials and rescue workers should be collaborated before release to any media to ensure the information contains all the facts. Information helps individuals process the events that are unfolding, how media and officials disperse that information is crucial for the listener or viewer.
Disasters and tragedies are hard for all individuals, whether you know the person or people involved or not. Each person deals with the news of such incidents in their own way. In the case of the co-workers and company personnel of the mine, a spokesperson from the company should brief all personnel of the facts at hand and tell the personnel that updates will be given when other information is collected. Honesty and caring are what most individuals…