Chilean Miners Tapped

Chilean Miners Trapped

Chilean Miners Trapped
San José mine, a small copper operation in northern Chile owned by Minera San Esteban Primera, suffered a cave-in on August 5, leaving 33 workers trapped underground. (Weik, 2010)   This was a great disaster and its affects rippled through various groups of people.  
The Message
There are many people who will be hearing the message and listening intently regarding the disaster.   Although messages can be created to cater to each individual, it must be taken into account that each group will hear the message that was created for the other groups of listeners.   All communication must be strategic.   The purpose of the communication is to inform as well as instill confidence in the audiences. The message is that the company cares, everything is under control, and all efforts are being made to safely rescue the miners.   All communication must focus on achieving this purpose.   With this in mind, it is imperative that the information shared is well thought out and presented in a way as to not offend any of the individuals who will be receiving the message.
The Audience
The members of the audience each play a different role in the lives of the victims of this disaster.   There are mothers, fathers, children, siblings, and various other family members.   It must also be taken into account the friends in the audience.   Some of the people hearing the message have more than one role in the lives of the trapped miners.   Some are not only friends, but co-workers, supervisors, the very people who hired and or sent those miners out for this assignment.
 
The first consideration is the needs of the families.   They will want to know if they have any hope of seeing their loved ones again and what condition their loved one is in. After the safety of their loved one is addressed, the rescue plan is the next thing that must be communicated as well as how the company plans to keep the families informed throughout the process....