Steff Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 09:18 AM) Yeah good point. I am just miffed that something like this could happen in the year 2006, that being this blatent a miscommunication. Somebody really messed up here, and it will be interested to see who it was and why they did it. The only one of any authority that made any type of comment was the Gov... so right now his head is on the platter, IMO. Regardless of who told him what he should have check, double checked, and then re-checked the info. I applaud the CEO for keeping a lid on the info - which probably was a request by law enforcement.. I imagine it was difficult for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan562004 Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I was able to catch all of this unfold on both CNN and Fox news. It truly was gut wrenching to hear the change of facts, I couldn't even imagine what the families went through. I don't know who is to blame for the misscommunication, but I know I was absolutely sickened by the way Anderson Cooper handled it on CNN. He came off trying to spin it as not CNN's fault instead of focusing on the horrible plight of the families. In stuff like this I always tend to blame the media, it is a bias I have. CNN and Fox and all the other newsstations always are trying to "scoop" each other so when something isn't right they then try to throw whoever necessary under the bus. Do I blame them for covering the celebration? Of course not, they had cameras there. Am I being way to harsh on the media because of past incidents? Probably, but just watching it live I don't think they handled it in a professional way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(Steff @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 10:16 AM) I'd rather him have done exactly what he did and not say anything versus giving out wrong information like the moron Gov did. Exactly. And we aren't talking about a normal workplace here, this is a mine shaft 2 miles across and 200 feet down. its not like you can take a casual stroll over there to find out what is going on. 3 hours doesn't sound too bad to me for getting correct info out of that chaos. It sounds like the CEO was one of the few who went out of his way to get things right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 09:40 AM) And what did he do? He went and verified the information before releasing it. But he also could have told the families that they can't confirm that they're alive either. Saying nothing and letting them believe for three hours that 11 of these 12 people actually survived is really wrong as well. I was in a bar last night watching the events unfold on mute. CNN - to their credit: had video all over the place and was basically getting reaction and live video about what was going on. Their huge lower third headline said "Report: 12 Miners Found Alive." It wasn't until the Governor spoke and said that the 12 were alive did the "Report" part fall off the Chyron graphics. Generally, I think the media tends to be lazy and does their job poorly. Last night, I don't blame them. I don't really blame anyone. Live TV in a location is going to report the feelings around the area as it happens. That's why its Live TV. Anderson Cooper was anchoring from the vigil. He learned as the rest of the town learned. MediaBistro had an interesting take on it. For some reason, I find their TVNewser blog fascinating. Here's what they had to say. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/top_st...es_no_30313.asp Television journalists should have been more careful to tell viewers that mine officials had not confirmed the news of survivors. The chyrons that initially said "REPORT: 12 MINERS ALIVE" eventually lost the word "REPORT" and assumed the news was true. But the media cannot be blamed for broadcasting the images of joyous families and friends. The media simply transmitted the scene to viewers. This blogger asks journalists "why did you run -- and run hard -- with a story based on information from a single anonymous source?" But that's not what they did: They ran with information from dozens of family members who had received misinformation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Controlled Chaos Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 The real tragedy here is the death of the miners...not how it was reported. Nobody really knows how to react in that situation unless you're in it. Hours and hours of hoping and praying for everyone to be alive. Then some unofficial info was released and the media was there to catch it and the mayor was there to catch it. I'm sure it was hard not to be joyful and believe in it, when that's what you were hoping and praying for the whole time. I just don't like to blame people for saying the wrong things during times like this. It's hard to have the right words or composure in that situation. It could have been handled better by the govenor and the media, but they're not the ones responsible here. Whenever there is a tragedy like this all kinds of erroneous stories come out. They need to find out if the company was at fault here or if this was just a tragic accident cause everyone is looking to point the finger somewhere. Right now, fingers are being pointed at people that were just hoping for the best and following the lead of others when they shoudn't have. Tough situation and wrong course of action, but that's not the cause of peoples sorrow, it's the death of their loved ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Your damn right. If there's outrage here, its more about how the miners got into the situation in the first place. Media coverage is a straw man here. 12 people died in a mine that had over 200 violations from federal guidelines in the last year and an injury rate four times the national average. And, just for the record, this is a non-union mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I don't think anyone is misguided or was taking way from the real tragedy here. Just commenting on the reporting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Yet, I think that some people - and I don't mean on this board - are. I'm getting the impression that fake outrage is so often misdirecting the outrage that we should righteously feel towards people who genuinely do us wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 10:05 AM) Yet, I think that some people - and I don't mean on this board - are. I'm getting the impression that fake outrage is so often misdirecting the outrage that we should righteously feel towards people who genuinely do us wrong. It is definitely a shame that some focus on the media and political issues versus the loss of life... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 11:05 AM) Yet, I think that some people - and I don't mean on this board - are. I'm getting the impression that fake outrage is so often misdirecting the outrage that we should righteously feel towards people who genuinely do us wrong. Don't get me wrong... I am mad as hell about the reporting. Someone needs to be held responsible for this, but at the sametime, the mining company who let this stuff happen, needs to be sued into liquidation. They need to make sure this stuff can't happen again, even if that means driving the cost of insurance so high, that these companies have to make huge safety adjustments to keep in business. Granted a lot of people could lose their jobs as companies go under from the added costs, but it will be worth it in human cost in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Controlled Chaos Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(Steff @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 09:52 AM) I don't think anyone is misguided or was taking way from the real tragedy here. Just commenting on the reporting. Oh, I didn't mean to imply that at all here. I just meant the news I heard this morning, and articles I've read and even the people interviewed in that town, seemed more pissed that they were misinformed about the deaths rather than the deaths themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Sloppy reporting is the result of the "Get It First, Hope To Get It Right" competition between news networks. As long as being FIRST ON THE SCENE is of the utmost importance, you will see this type of situation over and over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosMediasBlancas Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 11:44 AM) Oh, I didn't mean to imply that at all here. I just meant the news I heard this morning, and articles I've read and even the people interviewed in that town, seemed more pissed that they were misinformed about the deaths rather than the deaths themselves. I can't imagine how hopeless those people must feel. There is nothing they can do about any of it. What do they think is gonna happen to the Gov.? Nothing. The media? Nothing. Legal action? Against who? and what for? and most importantly, noting they can do to bring their loved ones back. I bet I'd be pretty frickin' irrational and pissed right about now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(The Critic @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 10:50 AM) Sloppy reporting is the result of the "Get It First, Hope To Get It Right" competition between news networks. As long as being FIRST ON THE SCENE is of the utmost importance, you will see this type of situation over and over. I agree that there is sloppy reporting.. I just don't agree that happened in this case. An interview was being conducted live when some idiot ran up and screamed "they are alive.. they are alive.. (sic)!!". And bells started ringing and people were jumping up and down... The police should have had the area roped off to anyone NOT of authority so NO news could have gotten out at all. Wouldn't have helped in the case of the moron Gov. though.. :headshake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 10:44 AM) Oh, I didn't mean to imply that at all here. I just meant the news I heard this morning, and articles I've read and even the people interviewed in that town, seemed more pissed that they were misinformed about the deaths rather than the deaths themselves. Yep.. as I said above many are more concerned with the political and media ramifications. No foul with me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 But still one person DID survive. And that's something too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 11:01 AM) But still one person DID survive. And that's something too. A miracle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCSox Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 10:01 AM) But still one person DID survive. And that's something too. It's freaking amazing, given the high CO level and the duration over which they were trapped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 How bad was the accident and injury rate at the Sago Mine? Terrible. The national average for mining accidents (non-fatal days lost) in 2004 was 5.66 per 200,000 manhours worked. The Sago Mine, which was owned by Anker West Virginia Mining Co. at that time, had an accident rate of 15.90. In 2005, Sago's accident rate increased to 17.04, and 14 miners were injured. So how does that compare to other underground coal mines in West Virginia? * Kingston Mining No. 1 Mine, which is about the same size as Sago, had an accident rate of 1.21 and one miner injured in 2005. * Mountaineer Alma A Mine, which is a larger mine, had an accident rate of 3.08. * Robinson Run Mine No. 95 and the Harris No. 1 Mine both had accident rates of 3.93. * The Blacksville No. 2 Mine last year had an accident rate of 4.41 and the Loveridge No. 22 Mine had an accident rate of 5.62. All of these mines were below the national average. One has to ask what was happening at the Sago Mine or its sister mine, Stony River, which had an even higher accident rate than Sago. MSHA was issuing citations, but nothing seemed to change, and at the Sago Mine things got worse in 2005. Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 QUOTE(Steff @ Jan 4, 2006 -> 10:55 AM) I agree that there is sloppy reporting.. I just don't agree that happened in this case. An interview was being conducted live when some idiot ran up and screamed "they are alive.. they are alive.. (sic)!!". And bells started ringing and people were jumping up and down... The police should have had the area roped off to anyone NOT of authority so NO news could have gotten out at all. Wouldn't have helped in the case of the moron Gov. though.. :headshake I totally agree with you. They reported what was happening at the scene. The media didn't tell the families their loved ones were alive, the families told the media. The Governor got caught up in the emotion of the moment ... stop and think ... it was result everybody was hoping for at the time. However, in his position, he should have made damn sure before he repeated the rumor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 I'm with Steff and YASNY on this one. I am having a hard time understanding what the media did wrong in this, they reported that the families thought their families were alive, then reported that the families found out they died. Should they not have reported that Church bells are ringing and people are shouting they are alive? The world was waiting on news of the miners, each bit of progress was reported. And if they didn't report it, would the families have been spared? No. They families were not getting news from the Governor or the media, the news seems to have been spread by volunteer rescuers. If the media wasn't there, the families would still have been given wrong information. I'm guessing it was one guy with a cell phone calling back to the Church. News media are the rough draft of history. If you want to wait for all the facts, then nothing would be reported, it would all be in the history books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilMonkey Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Tex, they didn't report that they thought they were alive, they reported "MINERS ALIVE!" How about a few minutes to verify with a mining company official? Newspaper guys are the worst. Five more minutes wouldn't have mattered in filing their stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 The mining company wouldn't comment actually from what I've read about the story. And the news net headlines were "Report: Miners Alive" until the Governor "confirmed the rumor." When you have the Governor on the scene saying they're alive, and its corroborating my first report, I'm taking it as confirmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jan 5, 2006 -> 12:28 AM) The mining company wouldn't comment actually from what I've read about the story. And the news net headlines were "Report: Miners Alive" until the Governor "confirmed the rumor." When you have the Governor on the scene saying they're alive, and its corroborating my first report, I'm taking it as confirmed. Shouldn't it throw up red flags when the ONE group who can confirm or deny something, doesn't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 I guess the reporting could have been Miner(s) May Be Trapped Autopsies reveal Miners Dead They could have turned *off* the cameras when the Church Bells starting ringing and people started cheering. But reporters took the information that was coming from the mine. They didn't create a rumour, the didn't take something from a 1-900-Psychic, and report it as fact. Everyone with the exception of the mine owners, were stating the same thing. And the miscommunication came from someone *inside* the mine and then relayed. Who was more in position to know, the mine owners above ground, or the recuers in the mine? The reporters, like everyone else, were mistaken. To blame the media for the families anguish, when the reporters received the news from the families, seems illogical. But, I do agree with SS, that there should be designated one official source, and hopefully it isn't the Governor in this case. Hopefully something like this never happens again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.