Wes’ Blog

I hate to admit this, but I have not been very good at keeping up with current events. The past summer was the only time I have been up to date and it was because I had a quiz every day.

I was at work January 4, 2006 when I heard about a terrible PR situation. I am talking about the miners who were said to be alive in Tallmansville, West Virginia after the mine had collapsed. But were eventually found dead.

I did not have the tv on. I did not have the radio on. I did not even see it online. I heard about it from a customer. I don’t know the customer, but I would imagine she would be in the English or philosophy department not in PR. Therefore, she was probably just watching tv or reading the paper when she saw this huge PR blunder.

This customer, remember doesn’t have anything to do with PR, was enraged at the spokesperson. She could not understand how a message could get screwed up SOOOOOO bad. I knew nothing of the situation so I just let her rant and rave.

All while she was talking I was thinking, “Gosh I hope I don’t mess up like that one day.” So I went home to try to find out what the problem was. The problem I believe was in poor communication and not checking the facts. The spokesperson for the International Coal Group, Ben Hatfield, said it had to do with false reports. How do you get false reports? I think miscommunication and not checking the facts.

As a PR student I have been taught check the facts, check the facts, check the facts. (This may be assuming) but I would think the spokesperson for this organization would have been taught the same thing. I am sure the spokesperson wanted to give the families the best news possible, but did not take the time to check the facts of what he had been told.

The people relaying the message should have checked the facts as well. But it all starts back at someone relaying a message and someone else misunderstanding or misinterpreting it. I think it is imperative in PR to always speak clearly and listen intently. If I let any interference come between me and the speaker then I am risking my job if I don’t hear it correctly.

I have this sneaky feeling that the International Coal Group will have a new spokesperson and he or she will check the facts next time. Hopefully there will be no next time.