Knowing Your Audience

Knowing your Audience

BCOM/275

April 2, 2012

Britta R. Cammarata

Knowing Your Audience

One of the most important factors in communication is to know your audience. One must ensure that all messages are delivered properly and received as intended. Any flaw in the deliverance of these messages may result in the audience misunderstanding the points which may cause further problems. One can convey the importance of knowing your audience by researching the communications in regards to the Chilean copper mind collapse.

In the event of the 2010 San Jose mine collapsing, both the families of the trapped miners and the employees of Minera San Esteban Primera needed to receive communication about the incident. These communications needed to take into consideration the different roles these individuals played and the type of communication being used. In addition to this, these communications also needed to address the potential needs of the families of the miners and the company’s employees.

In stepping in to take over the rescue operations, an enormous calculated risk was assumed Minera San Esteban Primera and the Chilean government. This decision could have been influenced by the recent fatalities that took place in the presence of this company. Several people were questioning the safety of this company. Whatever the reason, the communication had to be transparent and understandable. This is what would help to ensure that the 33 trapped miners would come out alive and safe.

Given the different roles and people in the audience, several factors need to be taken into consideration when communication about the incident. The first factor at hand is to not blame anyone through the communication process. This protects everyone, including the company, from slander or reputations. Also, one must take into consideration that several people in the audience care about the miners that are trapped. These people may include family, friends, co-workers, or even...