Beverly Haggerty
Knowing your audience and communication release
Bcom/275 Week 4
Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release
Beverly Haggerty
BCOM/275 Week 4 Assignment
University of Phoenix Axia College
Beverly Haggerty
Knowing your audience and communication release
Bcom/275 Week 4
Knowing your audience is of major importance in any type of communication. When you
know the proper type of communication to use and the proper information to include in your
message, you are ensuring the recipients will understand the message being delivered. Knowing
your audience also ensures the message is delivered appropriately and there is no confusion or
misunderstandings between the lines of communication. In the event of a disaster or other
catastrophe, knowing the audience that you will be delivering this message to is extremely vital
and important. The communications that were delivered to the public and families of the Chilean
miners of the copper mine collapse in South America will reflect the importance of knowing
your audience.
When delivering the messages to the families of the miners, one has to consider the role
of the audience receiving this message. The receivers will include wives, parents, children,
coworkers, and a host of other friends and family members who have to be informed of the
situation at hand. One must be considerate of how mature some of these audience members are
and their age range and must deliver this very sensitive matter to the family with facts and info
needed but also at a level of personal consideration.
To: The Families of the Trapped Miners via face-to-face meeting.
It is with deep regret, and sorrow that I announce to you today, August 5, 2010, the
collapse of our Copper mine in Copiapó which has trapped our family members far below the
surface. At this time we are not aware of their fate or location, but we are making every effort
possible to rescue your loved ones and bring them back to the surface safely. We have contacted
our Mining Minister Laurence Golborne to assist us with the rescue efforts. President Sebastian
Pinera is also aware of this tragic accident.
Beverly Haggerty
Knowing your audience and communication release
Bcom/275 Week 4
Our rescue workers’ first priority is to locate your loved ones as quickly as possible and
determine how many may be injured or need medical assistance. We intend to drill bore-holes,
five inches in diameter to help find the location of your family members. After we locate them
we will make as many attempts as necessary, to provide food, water, and medical supplies to
help sustain them.
In order to best understand the circumstances your brave family members are in we will
provide you with a face-to-face discussion with every manager, rescue worker, and public
official that is involved in this horrific accident, if you should choose to do so, and members
from the rescue effort. I expect serious concerns, a wide array of emotions, and tempered anger.
As the owner of Compania Minera San Esteban Primera, I take full responsibility for the tragic
event that has happened here today. Please believe that the health and safety of my employees is
my main concern. I will exhaust all options, and resources to help bring back to safety our
beloved employees and your family members.
I have also arranged professional grief counselors to be on-site, and provide comfort
wherever they believe they may be of assistance. The effort to retrieve our loved ones will be
enormous, and unwavering. We ask that you remain as calm as possible, and trust that we can
rescue your brave family members. We will provide real-time updates, and access to any
information you would like. In the event that we locate your family members, you will be
notified via telephone if you are not on site at that time. Thank you for being patient and
understanding as we work diligently to rescue them.
Beverly Haggerty
Knowing your audience and communication release
Bcom/275 Week 4
When addressing the family members of the miners about this incident, it may be a good
idea to address each family face-to-face to show that the company cares about their family
member. The family members should know exactly what the company is planning to do about
the incident as well as how this incident took place. In addition, submitting a written statement to
the family members giving them contact information and any type of psychological support that
is sometimes needed during this tragic moment may be beneficial to all parties involved.
When addressing the company’s employees of this same matter, the company should
prepare a memo as well as call a formal face-to-face meeting. The memo should be semiinformative, because as employees, certain personal information is limited to family only. This
memo should include what is expected during the rescue process as well as what may take place
when the process is complete. The company should show concern for the employees just like
they showed concern for the family because some of the employees have built personal
relationships with some of the trapped miners and may also need some sort of counseling during
this tragedy.
To: Employees of Esteban Mining Company via Memo or E-mail.
As I am sure you have already heard through various news outlets all over the world,
there was a collapse in one of our underground mining structures. Unfortunately 33 of our
employees are currently trapped underground. There is a rescue mission underway to help rescue
our employees. During this time of need we ask for your prayers for all 33 of these employees
and their families while we work diligently to save them all.
Beverly Haggerty
Knowing your audience and communication release
Bcom/275 Week 4
A full investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident, so in the future
we can avoid such tragic accidents from happening.
In conclusion, the company must be aware of their audience. For the employees, they
must be assured that every precaution is being made to ensure a safe work environment and that
if something were to happen to them, the company would make every effort to save them,
comfort their families and take care of them. For the families, each family member must be
assured that everything that can be done is being done to save their loved ones from this disaster.
Also, the families must be convinced that the company cares more about their employees than
they do about money.