Beaconsfield Mine Disaster Initial Media Response
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Jade Bae Jessica Tran UNSW MDIA3008
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Beaconsfield Mine Disaster Initial Media Response
- 1. MEDIA MANAGEMENT – BEACONSFIELD MINE COLLAPSE CASE STUDY BY CONST. PHIL PIKE, TASMANIAN POLICE JESSICA TRAN JADE BAE
- 2. WHAT IS MEDIA MANAGEMENT? “The media are the primary conduit to the public and, during a crisis, are obligated to report accurately and completely. Rather than viewing the media as a liability in a crisis situation, risk and crisis communicators should engage the media, through open and honest communication, and use the media as a strategic resource to aid in managing the crisis.” - Seeger, 2007
- 4. SUMMARY OF EVENTS • Earthquake triggers a rockfall at Beaconsfield gold mine. • Fourteen miners escape, three missing. • Miner‟s body found. • Contact and rescue of Brant Webb and Todd Russell, miners who survived. • After ____ days, rescue workers using mining tools finally break through to the two trapped men and the men are finally free on the 9th May.
- 5. MEDIA RESPONSE • Unusually high level of activity from mainland-based media and lcoal media • Major networks sent crews for news, current affairs programs and morning shows • Channel 9, 60 Minutes, News Ltd. publications
- 6. Who were the key stakeholders? What were the needs that the team needed to meet?
- 7. KEY STAKEHOLDERS The Beaconsfield Mine Joint Venture (management and staff) Allstate Explorations NL (the managing body of the Beaconsfield Mine) The West Tamar Council Tasmania Police and emergency services Department of Justice (Coroner‟s Office) Workplace Standards Chief Inspector of Mines Australian Worker‟s Union Tasmanian Minerals Council Launceston General Hospital The missing miners and their families The wider West Tamar community Responding media
- 8. SCCT RECOMMENDATIONS Situational crisis communication - Viewed as accident, they should have done this and this. All victims/potential victims should receive instructing information, including recall information. (This is one-half of the base response to a crisis) All victims should be provided with an expression of sympathy, any information about corrective actions, and trauma counselling when needed. This can be called the “care response”. (This is the second-half of the base response to a crisis)
- 9. MEDIA NEEDS The need to: a) Protect reputations b) Engage the media c) Satisfy the legal needs of the administration to limit certain information
- 10. ISSUE #1: THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE ‘INFORMATION VACUUM’ • BMJV and Allstate Explorations NL (the managing body of the Beaconsfield Mine) were placed in administration some years earlier (despite Beaconsfield containing the richest gold bearing ore in the country) • Imposed restriction by the mine administrator who was present at the mine offices left an „information vacuum‟ for the media
- 11. BEACONSFIELD MINE DISASTER INITIAL MEDIA RESPONSE • BMVL generated media releases via Sydney-based communications specialist via Tasmania Police Media and Marketing • Info flowed with reasonable regularity – but some MRs disseminated after midnight, outside the news cycle of Tasmania based media • PoC for BMJV was the Sydney-based specialist • Absence of a spokesperson at the mine • Initial reluctance by mine manager, Matthew Gill, to engage media because of the administrative needs to limit information
- 12. RESULT OF THE ‘INFORMATION VACUUM’ • Australian Worker‟s Union (AWU) gained credibility • AWU national secretary, Bill Shorten, and official Paul Howes always available for engagement with media. • Alternative information source not verified by officials. • Union officials initially discussed proposed media interviews with mine management, agreeing to leave the issue of blame until rescue. • Went to media openly blaming mine management on 60 minutes
- 13. • Centralized source of information is often preferred by the media. • A person with official status and relevant expertise to convey the most credible, authoritative EPI available and to interpret and clarify complexity for general reporter. • Reduce public panic, cut down on speculation about a disaster from all quarters, and facilitate communication among those with a need to know. - Sod & Stockdale, 1987
- 14. AWU VS. GILL • Limited resources • Multiple responsibilities: supervise the rescue processes, liase with mining staff, their families and media contingent. • Developed media awareness skills through slow rescue progress • Regular appearances at media conferences • However Gill only held a media conference every 24-48 hours, allowing AWU to retain the initiative with the media contingent by being readily available
- 15. “Crisis managers are encouraged to be quick, consistent, open, symp athetic and informative” - (Coombs 1999)
- 16. ISSUE #2: GROWING SENSITIVITY AGAINST THE MEDIA CONTINGENT FROM MINERS • Mine staff increasingly resentful of media contingent. • Large tarpaulins erected around boundary fences to limit media access and vision. • Miners decided no miners incl. NSW mine rescue experts and paramedics would be interviewed until following the rescue.
- 17. ISSUE #3: HELICOPTERS • Limiting media access led to media helicopter traffic • No-fly implementation failed
- 18. ISSUE #4: POOR PHYSICAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT • Premises became camping ground for media – chaos. • Small hall became media centre • Tight crush of journalists • Overwhelming for first- time spokespeople
- 19. ISSUE #5: COMPETITIVE MEDIA • Search operation underground • Limited content for media • Competition for coverage between media • Channel 9 vs. Channel 7 • Bag searches for miners – added stress
- 20. MEDIA MANAGEMENT RESPONSES 1. The building of a professional, experienced crisis management team • Support vs. one individual spokesperson•Gill: Original spokesperson - No media experience, reluctance to engage with media. - Experience with Port Arthur Massacre Shaun Rigby: Department of Premier and Cabinet Phil Pyke: Tasmania Police Tony Scott: Department of Premier and Cabinet BMJV‟s Mike Lester: State political reporter handling media relations for Tasmanian premier •At the Launceston General Hospital: -Mark Franklin (Tasmania Police) -Julie Pellas -Mandy Smith (Premier and Cabinet) -Adrian Lacey (Health and Human Services)
- 21. MEDIA MANAGEMENT RESPONSES 2. Overcoming the „information vacuum‟/upkeeping reputation •Spokespeople who worked underground and been in communication with the trapped miners. •Union officials agreement with AWU to leave issue of blame, breached on 60 minutes. •Barry Easther (mayor of West Tamar) as the face of local community -Limited media experience -Strong on-air presence
- 22. MEDIA MANAGEMENT RESPONSES 3. Providing content for media outlets/negotiation with mine management •Negotiations with mine management regarding tarpaulins and camera approval. •Media provided different image and vision platforms. •Main television crew and photographer to obtain pool vision. •Somewhat limited the helicopter presence
- 23. MEDIA MANAGEMENT RESPONSES 4. Safe extraction of Webb and Russell •Initial discussions occurred with Tasmanian Ambulance Service to prevent media coverage. •Negotiations between mine rescue staff and families of trapped miners approved pool site •Restricted but controlled access of media. • Successful concession achieved – media networks could broadcast live as gates opened. • Spokespeople available immediately following ambulances • Police intervention at the bottom of West St
- 24. MEDIA MANAGEMENT RESPONSES 5. Organising media • Media management became a police operation • Occurred towards the end of mine collapse • Media marshalling areas • Each network had own site + pool area for TV/photographers • Permission from Government for media coverage •At the Launceston General Hospital: •Government media team was ready and in place • Media operations allocated a specific area •Arrangements made to notify the media once miners were rescued via SMS
- 25. “While some journalists might complain about access restrictions to certain stories; if they can be explained, and compromises made, then everyone will usually be happy with the outcome” “It‟s important that all journalists get equal access, and I‟m a big fan of pool coverage as opposed to NO coverage.”
- 26. MEDIA MANAGEMENT RESPONSES 6. Dealing with the competitive nature of media• Media meeting to discuss media management for extraction •Making media aware of T&Cs •Pool vision/images allowed management of excessive media intrusion to rescue efforts •Removal of hidden cameras – News Limited and Channel 7 • Ambulance doors open – added coup for media
- 27. “The plan to have a live TV pool camera (and photo), a road corridor for ambulances, and lock-down positions for the news organisations was crucial to the success of everyone‟s coverage when the miners finally emerged… If this hadn‟t been sorted out in advance and… the journalists hadn‟t agreed to be asked to stay put.. I think the outcome might have been a lot different.”
- 28. REPUTATION REVIEW BEFORE • Fine • Under administration but publicly valued because they contained richest gold bearing ore DURING • Didn‟t wish to engage with media • Gill eventually provided media conferences following AWU domination • Only offered them occasionally – 24-48 hours • Genuine – fronting media in mine gear. AFTER • Pooled media success for media coverage • Men continued to enjoy fame after crisis – movie deal • Media reports do not negatively frame BMJV
- 29. RECOMMENDATIONS (QUESTION TIME) • What could BMJV have done better to manage the media more effectively? • Being transparent from the get-go by providing more frequent releases and not avoiding press coverage and providing a spokesperson at the side • Could have organised for another spokesperson instead of just Gill as he was busy managing the situation and was not prepared to address the media • Could have organised and accommodated the media organisations better from the beginning with stricter control of the growing media scrum • Could have liaised with miners to show they understood the hard time they were having being stressed from the rescue operations as well as dealing with the media – as to not reach harsh reactions from the miners by putting up the blockages to the mines
- 30. RECOMMENDATIONS • Clearer spokesperson from the start “... the earlier a relevant issue can be identified and managed in terms of a systematic organisational response, the more likely it is that the organisation can resolve conflict and minimise cost implications to its advantage.” - (Hainsworth 1990) • More frequent media conferences • Care response towards miners – expression of sympathy, information about corrective action, counselling
- 31. MEDIA MANAGEMENT LESSONS 1. The media management approach of facilitation was adopted by all on-ground media advisers 2. Know your key stakeholders and media people 3. Prevent the information vacuum – in the absence of information speculation will take over 4. Listen to media requests and create/facilitate opportunities 5. Seek media co-operation and encourage their input 6. Aim to present fresh spokespeople on a regular and planned basis 7. Plan for all media reactions, including competition between organisations 8. Work closely with other media advisers and operate on a common plan that supports all stakeholders
- 32. IN CONCLUSION • The media management was a success • Facilitation approach to media liason gained media confidence • Hugh Williams from CNN applauded overall management
- 33. REFERENCES • Matthew W. Seeger (2006): Best Practices in Crisis Communication: An Expert Panel Process, Journal of Applied Communication Research, 34:3, 232-244, Accessed Online http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00909880600769944 • Rahul Sod, Geoffrey Stockdale and Everett M. Roger (1987): How the News Media Operate in Natural Disasters, Communicating Risk: the Media and the public, Journal of Communication, v37 n3 p27-41 Sum 1987
Hinweis der Redaktion
- JADE STARTS
- JESS STARTShttp://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/04/26/1145861377412.html
- JESS FINISH
- QUESTION/INTERACTION TIME
- JADE STARTS
- This imposed restriction proved restrictive throughout the duration of the incident despite strong efforts by Mike Lester of CPR who later became the contracted media adviser to BMJV
- Union officials initially discussed their proposed media interviews with mine management, agreeing to leave the issue of blame until the rescue of the trapped minersUnionists later broke these conditions – appeared on Richard Carlton’s last story on 60 Minutes openly blaming mine management for sending miners into “bad ground”
- Jade endGill developed better media awareness skills throughout the slow rescue process, making regular appearances at media conferences (even immediately fronting the media after a visit to the rescue site dressed in his overalls, mining vest and belt and holding a miners helmet with a lamp) – his practical involvement adding a level of credibility to his role as a spokesperson
- Jess startho were already working long shifts underground in hazardous conditions to find their missing workmates increasingly grew sensitive against the media contingentMine staff erected large tarpaulins around the boundary fences and legs of the mine head, limiting media access to vision and photographsMiners made a decision that no miners – incl. those in charge of the rescue, NSW mine rescue experts and NSW paramedics who were advising Tasmania Ambulance Service Staff – would be interviewed by the media until after the rescue of Webb and Russell
- Jess endBMJV’s move to limit media access = consistent flying of media helicopters over the mine site (even drowning out conferences related to the underground rescue at the mine operations room)No-fly zone implementation failed and the sound of helicopters remained constant over the area during the protracted incident
- JadestartThe public park around the Museum carpark, mine boundary and West Tamar Council Chambers became a camping ground for the fast growing media contingent with an explosion of hired campervans, broadcast vans and media tents after the discovery of Webb and RussellDuring gale force winds, driving rain and sleet, a small hall became the media centre and a majority of interviews took place amid a tight crush of journalists and cameras (a media scrum), proving daunting for some spokespeople fronting the media for the first time, but this was unavoidable considering the inclement weather
- Jade endWith the search operation continuing nearly a km underground, there was very little to fill the news bulletins or newspapers with either vision or imagesCompetitive nature of the media – particularly between Ch. 7 and Ch. 9 gave rise to rumours of cash offers of up to $10,000 for miners on the rescue team to take images and vision of the underground rescue areaLed to bag searches of all miners before their shifts – added stress for an already difficult situation
- Port Arthur Massacre – GillSupport- Gill was original spokesperson but had no media experience and was reluctant to engage the media (also was very busy, needing to supervise the rescue processes, liaise with mining staff, their families as well as the media contingent)BMJV’s Mike Lester (previously was a state political reporter handling media relations for former Tasmanian Premier, the late Jim Bacon)Tony Scott (Department of Premier and Cabinet – government media staff)Constable Phil Pyke (Tasmania Police)Shaun Rigby (Department of Premier and Cabinet)
- Jess endAs the crisis unfolded Slowly started producing spokespeople who had worked underground and been in communication with the trapped miners (paramedics from Tasmania Ambulance Service proved popular)Presenting Mayor of West Tamar, Barry Easther, as the reassuring face of the local community- Became a much-sought after spokesperson (regular appearances on Sunrise and Today)- Limited media experience but had a strong on-air presence and steered away from speculation or judgement (saving BMJV from negative press)Initially had a deal union officials from AWU agreeing to leave the issue of blame until after the rescue of the trapped miners – although this was later breached by the unionists who appeared on 60 Minutes openly blaming mine management for sending the miners into “bad ground”, this was a good prevention tactic employed by BMJV to actively protect their reputation
- About Mike Lester:http://books.google.com.au/books?id=4pSX6c3RavUC&pg=PA134&lpg=PA134&dq=mike+lester+cpr&source=bl&ots=fHiBzeGev2&sig=0vkOOmc0UZRJKFt_DI3BO56AImo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XMiYUcS3FIqViQf2n4DYBQ&ved=0CFMQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=mike%20lester%20cpr&f=falseJess startNegotiations with mine management to take down some of the tarpaulins on the boundary fences and seek approval for camera crews to film the mine head and yard from a viewing platform at the Museum which overlooked the areaGave the media different image and vision platformsThe idea to position a television camera and a photographer to obtain pool vision on the extraction of Webb and Russell arose (previous requests to mine mgmt for pool vision and images from underground had been refused but the viewing platform was a non-obtrusive and ideal position with the Museum prepared to cut out a section of their fence)Somewhat limited the helicopter presence
- Jade startInitial discussions occurred with the Tasmanian Ambulance Service, psychologist and mine staff revolved around decoy ambulances and other methods to prevent the media covering the extractionThese discussions halted and further negotiations between the mine rescue staff and the families of the trapped miners took place, approving the pool site to be opened to the media which proved to be a crucial step in effectively managing the media (so that they would not make rash decisions for the sake of getting coverage) – pool site allowed for restricted but controlled media access as opposed to no media accessA successful concession was achieved (later majorly impacting the coverage of the extraction): the departure of ambulances containing Webb and Russell through the mine gates and down the road through the middle of the media campMedia networks could broadcast live as the gates openedAmbulances could roll out through an honour guard of rescue minersOrganised the extraction so that spokespeople (incl. senior mine rescue staff) would be available for comment immediately as the ambulances departed the mine – this was a deliberate move as part of their media management plan so that they could prevent the media from chasing the ambulances along the highway to the Launceston HospitalPolice officers also stationed at the bottom of West St to use as delay for any pursuing crews – but no crews undertook any pursuit given their access to Webb and Russell after they stepped from the shaft lift
- Jade endMedia mgmt in the final stages became a police operationCarpark, media camp and public park were barricaded off as media marshalling areasEach network had their own site + a pool area for TV cameras and photographersPrior permission from Government media advisors required for any camera crew or photographer wishing to step over the barricades during the ambo departure to cover public reactionAt the Launceston General Hospital:Government media team was ready and in place at the hospitalMedia operations were allocated a specific areaArrangements made through BMJV’s Mike Lester to notify the media once miners were rescued via SMSthis can be a point for recommendations – they could have achieved this level of organisation from the beginning – they obviously didn’t have a crisis communication plan in place)
- Jade endProducers and senior journalists called to a meeting at the West Tamar Council (5th May) where the media management plan for the extraction was explained to them (including their restrictions regarding the pool site and the strict enforcements against cheating) – made sure media were aware of their T&CsPool vision and images allowed for management of excessive media intrusion to the rescue effortsRemoval of hidden cameras News Ltd: mine staff located a web camera mounted on the façade of Grubb Shaft, overlooking the mine head – BMJV removed the camera and contacted News Ltd, resulting in strong discussions between News Ltd management and Government media staffCh. 7: a remote camera was mounted on a teleboom that the network often raised over the rear fence of the mine yard – mine staff retaliated by raising the tarpaulins higher – affected other photographers out of their ideal positions (ruining the opportunity for other networks who inevitably would have scolded Ch. 7 would have created social pressure to abide to the rules)Leaving ambulance doors open – proved an added coup for media crews
- Jess startDuring:Initially didn’t wish to engage the media, providing press releases from a Sydney-based communications company (there was no spokespeople available at the scene despite major media organisations starting to arrive which signalled the need for a greater media provision) AWU took over the media at first with readily available media spokespersons but Gill eventually started to provide press conferenecesHowever he was busy organising the actual rescue mission and only offered press conferences every 24-48 hours – he eventually adapted to media presence adding credibility to his role as a spokesperson by fronting the media straight after coming back from being underground near the miners etc.After: Media got the coverage they wanted through pooled mediaThe men continued to enjoy fame after the crisis even sellign their story into a movieMedia reports years on do not negatively frame the media management of BMJV
- Care response – expression of sympathy, information about corrective actions, counsellingA clearer spokesperson from the beginning of the crisis (so the unionists don’t take control of the situation)Gill could have had more frequent media conferences (one every 24-48 hours wasn’t a lot)
- Jess end
- The facilitation approach to media liaison gained the confidence of the media during the protracted nature of the rescueInternational journalist, Hugh Williams from CNN who also came to report applauded the overall management process