How Screwed Up Is The Media?

[Rocky Raab]

I think that was a huge part of the problem: no mine company media spokesman. As you say, when they can't get a usable 20-second sound bite from a talking head - they make one up.

You learned well, Nulle.

For a couple of years, I actually had a consulting business to provide such a service to small companies. I called it "The P.R. Department." For a contingency fee, I'd write their media response emergency plan, train a person to be their spokesman (or learn enough about them to do it myself) and give tham annual updates.

Not one company saw either the value of that or the danger of NOT having that. Just like that mine, probably.

They do now, I'd bet.

[Nulle]

My God do you suspect that is what took place ? Sure is looking like it.
We have PR person for the simplest things to protect our butt and without it I guess we can see what happens.
Helter Skelter and even with it we have had the media blow drug deals and everything else.
How can they be held accountable for this type stuff ?

[Rocky Raab]

That's exactly what I think happened:

Small company - no full-time media spokesman, no media response plan, no senior manager designated as media contact.

Top that off with a "the media can wait, we're busy now" attitude (which is completely understandable, but fatal to company image) and you have a media-spread false rumor, a three-hour delay in correcting it, and years of litigation followed by bankruptcy.

Now watch, not ONE other mine or business anywhere will learn anything from this tragedy.

[rubicon]

I think you guys are right. In the 18 years I worked in the mines we never had anybody to deal with the media. Whenever something happened the company superintendent was always told to deal with the reporters. Of course we never had a disaster of this magnitude. Mine inspections and mine laws are done by two different agencies, state and federal, with the most stringent being the law you must abide with. Inspectors show up unannounced and stay for weeks at a time. In all fareness to the mine company, the number of violations they had is not uncommon . Also sometimes violations are petty (I got written up once when a state inspector went to shower and there was no soap)The way mine violations work, when you get one you must immediately correct the problem then the inspector abates the violation but it still goes on record as a violation. In the case of emminent danger violations, the working section or entire mine is shut down, only those repairing the problem are allowed in the area, and when complete the inspector abates it and everyone goes back to work. Im not just blowing smoke here. The mine I worked at was about an hour drive from this one and I worked daily with the fathers of two of the guys whgo didnt make it out.

[Nulle]

On the news this AM to Governor is doing an investigation as to how that mis-information was put out and where it came from.

[Slim-Zippy]

What is so unsusual about the media jumping to inaccurate or false conslusions that hurt or ruin people or business. Just watch the news tonight and count the number of times that opinion is reported as fact, the spin placed on political issues, stories that are ignored that don't fit their political agenda or advertisers wishes, and my all time favorite is when they ask some freshly traumatized person how they feel about the trauma; totally insensitive, callused jerks that make prostitution look like a noble profession.

I wish the media would go back to reporting who, what, when, wher, how, and why. Fact checking is a thing of the past and apologies are rarely given for some very atrocious mistakes.

[rubicon]

Although it is another great tragedy with the two miners dead in the latest mine fire, at least the state police kept the media away from the families and a MESA official met with the families privately to give them the grim news prior to telling the media.

[Rocky Raab]

This is one of those times when I am absolutely delighted to be wrong.

Somebody learned something.

[Jack]

"a MESA official met with the families privately to give them the grim news"
I agree !
And no, well meaning, unauthorized person got on a cell phone and gave the families bad information.