please. Someone jumped the gun and now they're trying like hell to cover their asses.
From CNN:
Upon finding McCloy, Kitts said, rescuers relayed the news, in code, to the operations base: "One item was found at break 56." Hatfield said earlier that the rescue team was speaking to the command center over the mine communication system on an open speaker audible to a number of people.
So first, the story is that the news is relayed over an open speaker and several people heard it. Then, after the fan has successfully splattered the entire room with the brown and messies, a brief message bordering on cryptic was sent in code.
Hatfield's announcement sent Anna Casto, who lost her cousin, into a tirade.
"No, he strictly told us they was alive," Casto said. "Three hours later, he come back and said they wasn't." Ignoring the fact that Anna speaks as though she never made it past the 4th grade, she's stating that Hatfield told them, personally it seems, that there were survivors. Hatfield is the guy who claims the message was heard
( ... )
This is where everyone's recollection on what happened varies. Some of those in the church say that the CEO of the mining company never came to the church. They are saying that no one gave an "official announcement" to them.
And yes, you are right. I'm not sure she made it past the 4th grade either. I have to wonder sometimes about people who are allowed to be interviewed on TV. Of course, if I hear one more reporter ask these greif stricken people "how do they feel", I think I'm going to drive down there and beat the hell out of them. Seriously, these people are feeling like shit! What more do they want?
I want a sarcastic response. Somebody's gotta have the wit for it, despite the tragedy.
"Oh, man! I feel great. I tell you, Bob, I don't think I could feel any better if I won the lottery. Hell, this IS like winning the lottery. In fact, I was thinking of heading down to Malone's to celebreate. Care to join me?"
Then immediately change facial expression to that that of disgust directed at the reporter and hiss "stupid motherfucker."
This was really awful. I think we as humans when in a difficult situation like this are always inclined to more easily accept & believe good rumors than bad. It sounds like a miracle, & everyone spreads it & before you know it it's blown up into what happened there. And, I should say, I find it very easy for the group of femily members at the church to believe any sort of good news they heard -- that's to be expected -- but for actual news agencies to be spreading it, without any independent verification is HORRIBLE journalism. I noticed there wasn't a new USA Today in the stands in my work yesterday because they pulled it from them. The covers were blazoned with "12 Alive" or something similar. My own local newspaper wasn't able to stop their presses, & their front page all read something similar.
Yes, the whole part of not getting confirmation from the mining company or a government agency is what has me so baffled about this. I was flipping between CNN and MSNBC through all of this. What kept striking me weird was that the press conference was delayed and they were not questioning that.
Too bad that USA Today kept pulling their copies, cause you know they would have been a macabre collector's item. Sort of like the really old one where I think it was DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN, if I remember correctly from my history classes.
I have to agree with your statement Jeff, cell phones and so forth did cause much pain to the families of the miners, giving them false hope. The rescue team needs to be able to report their findings, whatever it is, to those on the surface so that they can be prepared for whatever comes out. For them to have to keep the findings to themselves until they're certain what the outcome is (survivors vs. loss) could hamper the rescue efforts. The news media and people hearing the information about the minors should have definitely checked facts before issuing statements to the people. Unfortunately in today's world, I doubt you'll find that people think before saying things. (that sentence sounded very strange to me... sorry :S)
I will be keeping the surviving miner and his family, and the familes of the miners who died in my prayers.
Yes, it was total chaos I am sure in the command center for the rescue operation. According to what I've heard the communications from the rescuers to the command center was on an open speaker in the command center which is where all of this mess occured. Maybe they all need to work on a more secure and clearly heard form of communication to work underground to the surface.
Never worry about a sentence. Good God! I make so many mistakes it frightens me that I ever went to college!
Cell phones are a great asset. The mistake here was made by the mining company in permitting a premature news release.
Over here, the relatives are always informed before any news release is made, and the press respects that. Sure there is always the temptation to get a "scoop" on the other media, but I think the press in the UK are aware of the power of public opinion - they ought to be, they manipulate it often enough! And so the press respects the rights of families to be informed of loss and to mourn in private.
There was a serious breach of security surrounding the rescue effort, and a serious lack of appropriate communication between the company and the relatives. Rumours only start when accurate information is lacking.
I don't know the full facts, obviously - I doubt if anyone does, but someone fucked up big-time!
The problem is that there was no "news release" ever issued to anyone, until the families at the church were notified that there was only one survivor.
You know when they have no concrete information they should continue to say "unconfirmed reports" or "according to some sources" or something along those lines. The media has received a major black eye over this one.
There's such competition in the media now to be the first to get a headline-grabbing story that I'm sure a reporter took a bit of misinformation and ran with it... Do you remember when CNN falsely proclaimed Martha Stewart wasn't going to get sent to prison? Or what about when the media failed to recognize that WMDs never existed? Well, I guess we cannot blame the media entirely...after all, I do think a lot of the problem lies in the sources not having the correct amount of information as well. And when you're getting the bulk of information from humans there could be human error on both sides.
As I do not give a damn about Martha Stewart, I never had heard that one. On the WMD issue, the media were operating on "official" announcements.
You are right, they all seem to be so interested in getting the headline that they overlook the facts at times. However, I do remember always being told to get "3rd party" verification of supposed facts. Since they were in such a hurry I would have thought that they would have used phrases like, "according to unconfirmed reports" or something along that line so that they would have an escape route in case it did not turn out the way they wanted.
I can not help but think of the old quote, "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it". One glaring thing I can think of is the 2000 presidential election. What a long night that was for political junkies like me and also laughing as the media kept jumping from one side to the other. Good times!
Comments 17
From CNN:
Upon finding McCloy, Kitts said, rescuers relayed the news, in code, to the operations base: "One item was found at break 56." Hatfield said earlier that the rescue team was speaking to the command center over the mine communication system on an open speaker audible to a number of people.
So first, the story is that the news is relayed over an open speaker and several people heard it. Then, after the fan has successfully splattered the entire room with the brown and messies, a brief message bordering on cryptic was sent in code.
Hatfield's announcement sent Anna Casto, who lost her cousin, into a tirade.
"No, he strictly told us they was alive," Casto said. "Three hours later, he come back and said they wasn't." Ignoring the fact that Anna speaks as though she never made it past the 4th grade, she's stating that Hatfield told them, personally it seems, that there were survivors. Hatfield is the guy who claims the message was heard ( ... )
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And yes, you are right. I'm not sure she made it past the 4th grade either. I have to wonder sometimes about people who are allowed to be interviewed on TV. Of course, if I hear one more reporter ask these greif stricken people "how do they feel", I think I'm going to drive down there and beat the hell out of them. Seriously, these people are feeling like shit! What more do they want?
Reply
"Oh, man! I feel great. I tell you, Bob, I don't think I could feel any better if I won the lottery. Hell, this IS like winning the lottery. In fact, I was thinking of heading down to Malone's to celebreate. Care to join me?"
Then immediately change facial expression to that that of disgust directed at the reporter and hiss "stupid motherfucker."
Reply
My own local newspaper wasn't able to stop their presses, & their front page all read something similar.
Truly sad.
Reply
Too bad that USA Today kept pulling their copies, cause you know they would have been a macabre collector's item. Sort of like the really old one where I think it was DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN, if I remember correctly from my history classes.
Reply
I will be keeping the surviving miner and his family, and the familes of the miners who died in my prayers.
Reply
Never worry about a sentence. Good God! I make so many mistakes it frightens me that I ever went to college!
Reply
Cell phones are a great asset. The mistake here was made by the mining company in permitting a premature news release.
Over here, the relatives are always informed before any news release is made, and the press respects that. Sure there is always the temptation to get a "scoop" on the other media, but I think the press in the UK are aware of the power of public opinion - they ought to be, they manipulate it often enough! And so the press respects the rights of families to be informed of loss and to mourn in private.
There was a serious breach of security surrounding the rescue effort, and a serious lack of appropriate communication between the company and the relatives. Rumours only start when accurate information is lacking.
I don't know the full facts, obviously - I doubt if anyone does, but someone fucked up big-time!
Reply
You know when they have no concrete information they should continue to say "unconfirmed reports" or "according to some sources" or something along those lines. The media has received a major black eye over this one.
Reply
Do you remember when CNN falsely proclaimed Martha Stewart wasn't going to get sent to prison? Or what about when the media failed to recognize that WMDs never existed? Well, I guess we cannot blame the media entirely...after all, I do think a lot of the problem lies in the sources not having the correct amount of information as well. And when you're getting the bulk of information from humans there could be human error on both sides.
Reply
You are right, they all seem to be so interested in getting the headline that they overlook the facts at times. However, I do remember always being told to get "3rd party" verification of supposed facts. Since they were in such a hurry I would have thought that they would have used phrases like, "according to unconfirmed reports" or something along that line so that they would have an escape route in case it did not turn out the way they wanted.
I can not help but think of the old quote, "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it". One glaring thing I can think of is the 2000 presidential election. What a long night that was for political junkies like me and also laughing as the media kept jumping from one side to the other. Good times!
Reply
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