Bcom/275 Knowing Your Audience
Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release
BCOM/275
April 16, 2012
Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release
No one will ever forget the events that took place on August 5, 2010. Many people from all around the world sat glued to their television sets watching a story that most feared would have a tragic ending. The Minera San Esteban Primera Mining Company had a job ahead of them that no company every wants to face. 33 miners were trapped in a small copper mine that had collapsed in northern Chile and they had to report this news to the families, employees, and eventually the world. The minters were trapped 300 meters below ground with very little food, oxygen or water. The first priority was to begin search and rescue efforts to locate these men trapped in the mine and remove them as quickly as possible before there oxygen supplies were depleted. The next daunting task would be to inform the families of these men that an awful accident had taken place and the worst thing that could happen to a miner did. Rescuing these men was the very first priority of the company but keeping everyone else informed on their safety and progress was equally as important since the company had already come under fire for a collapsed mine just a year ago. Since there were so many different groups of people involved in this accident: Family members of the trapped miners, employees of the company, media, investors and spectators across the globe; understanding of the diverse audience would be crucial in conveying the various details that would follow in the hours and days ahead. The message of the trapped miners had to be delivered appropriately to each group of people without any confusion or misunderstanding. What would you say to the wife whose husband was trapped? How could you reassure your employees that were not trapped that they will not fall in the same fate? How could you reassure the investors that this will not happen
BCOM/275
April 16, 2012
Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release
No one will ever forget the events that took place on August 5, 2010. Many people from all around the world sat glued to their television sets watching a story that most feared would have a tragic ending. The Minera San Esteban Primera Mining Company had a job ahead of them that no company every wants to face. 33 miners were trapped in a small copper mine that had collapsed in northern Chile and they had to report this news to the families, employees, and eventually the world. The minters were trapped 300 meters below ground with very little food, oxygen or water. The first priority was to begin search and rescue efforts to locate these men trapped in the mine and remove them as quickly as possible before there oxygen supplies were depleted. The next daunting task would be to inform the families of these men that an awful accident had taken place and the worst thing that could happen to a miner did. Rescuing these men was the very first priority of the company but keeping everyone else informed on their safety and progress was equally as important since the company had already come under fire for a collapsed mine just a year ago. Since there were so many different groups of people involved in this accident: Family members of the trapped miners, employees of the company, media, investors and spectators across the globe; understanding of the diverse audience would be crucial in conveying the various details that would follow in the hours and days ahead. The message of the trapped miners had to be delivered appropriately to each group of people without any confusion or misunderstanding. What would you say to the wife whose husband was trapped? How could you reassure your employees that were not trapped that they will not fall in the same fate? How could you reassure the investors that this will not happen
References: Cheesebro, T., O’Connor, L., & Rios, F. (2010). Communicating in the workplace. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Parry, W., & Rettner, R. (2010). Chile Mine Collapse: Facts about the Amazing Survival Story. Retrieved from http://www/livescience.com Weik, J. (2010, August 6). Over 30 workers trapped after Chilean copper mine collapse. Metal Bulletin Daily, (224), 65.