Jason Terry
BCOM 275
August 19, 2012
University of Phoenix
Chilean Copper Mine Collapse
In August 2010, the world focused on a small copper mine in northern Chile, when it was discovered that 33 trapped miners were still alive after the mining shaft collapsed. This tragedy captured audiences of every source of mainstream media around the world. The media reported updates on the conditions of the trapped miners daily until their rescue in October 2010. People were drawn to the families of the trapped miners. Because of the magnitude of this unnatural disaster, audiences worldwide were depending on the reporters to give them every detail possible, not to mention those connected to the disaster: family, close friends, coworkers, rescue teams of the trapped miners. Many people living thousands of miles away from the disaster site hoped for a glimpse of the trapped miners and their rescue. It is very important to know the specific needs of your audience during this type of tragedy. Things to be considered when communicating to various audiences are the type of media, demographic of the audience, and the level of frequency.
Type of Media
Traditionally, radio, television, and newspaper have been the main source of media. With technology, the Internet has surpassed the traditional media in obtaining news information. In this specific incident all forms of media were used because people all over the world, were interested in the outcome of the disaster. At the support center for the trapped families the spokesperson played a very important role during the entire situation. The spokesperson had to show empathy and respect in every aspect, no matter what type of media for which he was being interviewed. The spokesperson is the voice of the company and the commentary leader for the news media.
Demographic of the Audience
The next consideration is the specific pole or location of the audience. It is vital when drafting the