Knowing Your Audience and Communication Release
Patricia Brooks
BCOM/275
Date
Melinda Maldonado

Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release Knowing the audience and using the right communication release is vital in any catastrophe. For example, the Chilean copper mine disaster in South America, which left 33 miners trapped 300 feet underground fighting for their lives. Chilean miners had limited water, food, oxygen, and the chance for survival was slim. Fortunately, in this catastrophe the tears turn into screams of joy because all 33 Chilean miners were rescued (Weik, 2010).
The Beginning of the Communication Process
There are many factors to think about when a situation like this happens. Families must be notified, employees are inform, and questions form the media as well as the families’ has to be addressed. Communication process is vital and must be handled accordingly with the intended audience in mind. In addition, forming the right communication release to the people in the audience and those who have different roles in the media is equally important. This will allow the company speaker to have effective message. If the audience is not taken into consideration when conveying a message, the communication could be lost, misunderstood, or incomplete (Cheesebro, & Rios, 2010).
Potential needs of the Families
Communication must be designed with the audience in mind therefore, when releasing information to the victim’s families on their conditions and the progress of rescuing the trapped miners the communication process must be evaluated in every area. In addition, the communication should be prompt this will prevent the families from hearing the bad news from other sources, and the speaker should let the families know how this disaster occurred. Language barriers should also be addressed. In addition, to responding to the families the information would also have to be revealed to the world. Since all eyes and ears are focusing on the Chilean disaster the company representative must present information that is straightforward. Therefore, the information should be detailed enough but still keeping in mind the sensitivity of the families (Cheesebro, & Rios, 2010). Because of the severity of the disaster the emotional impact are sure to run high therefore every word spoken need to be taken into careful consideration. One wrong word can caused panic for the families. When receiving news of this magnitude the emotional needs of the family must be meet such as comfort, empathy, sympathy reassurance, and peace of mind that the rescue team is doing everything possible to have a good outcome for each trapped miner. The company’s speaker has an obligation to keep the family members inform of the progression of the rescue and any other pertinent information concerning the trapped miners, for example, the miner’s safety, food, water, and oxygen. All of these components should be included and released to the families as soon as possible. The families will also need to know of any additional plans of rescuing the trapped miners. Also the speaker need to take into consideration the choice of words when presenting information and try to avoids words such as death or survive until there is certainty of the circumstances. This could send the family on an emotional whirlwind and cause the families to the lose confidence in the rescuers. In addition, make sure the families have a support system such as, counseling this will help ease the emotional trauma. Equally important make sure the company’s speaker is able to answer any questions the families may have (Cheesebro, & Rios, 2010).
Potential needs of the Employees
Communicating to the employees about the disaster would be slightly different. Employees, who are employed in the field of mining know about the potential dangers of cave-ins. So there would be no need to go into detail about the disaster. The communication should reinforce the importance of safety on-the-job. The communication should also consist of letting the employees know that the rescuers are doing everything possible to free the trapped miners. The speaker should emphasize that they are aware that some of these trapped miners may have close friends who work with at the mines and let the employees know they are equally concern about the welfare of their friends. So therefore, they should take time off for their own safety because of the mindset they may have (Cheesebro, & Rios, 2010).
Delivery of the Message
Before sending the message it should be designed for the intended audience in mind. If the method of communication is by an e-mail it should be clear, and concise, proofread, double-checked for grammatical error, and misspelled words. The sender should also see if there are going to be any language barriers when communicating with the audience. At the end of the message, the sender should ask the audience if they have any questions regarding the message or any other issues relating to the circumstances. The message may need a follow-up communication depending on the circumstances, which may be necessary to keep the families and employees up-to-date on the incident (Cheesebro, & Rios, 2010).
Conclusion
The communication process must be designed for the intended audience in mind. The communication may vary, depending on the needs and circumstances of the audience. If the needs of the audience are not considered before conveying a message, there is a good chance the communication could be inaccurate, misunderstood, incomplete, or unsuitable for the intended audience. In an incident like what occurred in the Chilean mine collapse, the importance of the audience needs must be addressed before reaching out to the families of the victims (Cheesebro, & Rios, 2010).

References
Cheesebro, T., O’Connor, L., & Rios, F. (2010). Communicating in the workplace. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Weik, J. (2010). Over 30 workers trapped after chilean mine collapse. Manuscript submitted for publication, Library, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/detail?sid=84e3b3de-0140-

Communication 1
(Phone call to trapped Chilean miners families)
This is Patricia Brooks, operations manager at San Jose mine. One of our mines collapsed today trapping 33 of our employees, including your son, who is trapped underground. We have no information as to his and the other miners physical and emotional condition or how long it will be before we can rescue them. We are doing everything possible to free your son and the other miners as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns please call the number is 914-333-4542 someone will be at the phone lines at all time. As soon as we collect information you will be the first to know.
Communication 2
(Memo to employees)
To: San Jose Mine Employees
One of our mines collapsed today trapping 33 of our employees underground. We have rescue currently working on this incident and are doing everything possible to rescue them. This incident should remind us of the safety precautions we must adhere to when we are working in the mines. All employees are dismiss from work for the rest of the day. As soon as we collect information from the incident we will let you know. Human Resources