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| Did he really say that?; West Virginia Mine Disaster | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 7 2010, 04:25 PM (375 Views) | |
| CrisisMan | Apr 7 2010, 04:25 PM Post #1 |
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There are times, perhaps, when it might be better NOT to talk to the news media. That seems to be the case when Massey Energy Co. CEO Don Blankenship was being interviewed about the West Virginia mine disaster recently. The reporter asked him during the televised interview, "Does this mine have issues with safety?" His reply, "It’s not Massey’s safest coal mine." After some discussion over the fact that the mine had experienced fatalities in the past and been found guilty of safety violations, Blankenship indicated the violations were because it was a big mine and had a lot of people. He then went on to say, "Every violation actually means an improvement in the safety of the mine..." Earlier in the interview, he told the reporter that you got to be careful about what you say about this event. You think so? |
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| Bart | Apr 7 2010, 08:07 PM Post #2 |
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Massey certainly has not handled the communication aspect of this Crisis very well. Even their own Web site, http://www.masseyenergyco.com/, is still boasting on the home page, "2009 WAS ANOTHER RECORD SETTING YEAR FOR SAFETY!" After you have just lost 25 of your employees it seems very inappropriate. |
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| Bart | Apr 8 2010, 01:26 PM Post #3 |
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I see they changed it today. It now has a note, "TO FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES…" in place of "2009 WAS ANOTHER RECORD SETTING YEAR FOR SAFETY!" I think it is an example that in crisis communications one needs to be very aware of the message the company web site is sending out, and needs to be changed faster than days after a tragic incident. |
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| WGCI | Apr 8 2010, 05:29 PM Post #4 |
Administrator
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Here is the interview for any who missed it... |
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8:50 AM May 19