Just like the reports of rapes in the Superdome.

There was no press conference saying they were alive. It was pure speculation.

My friend has been mining since he graduated from high school and is making close to $20 an hour. That's why many people mine: you don't need a college degree and you can support your family pretty well (at least by WV standards; it's fairly cheap living here).

I saw the tapes of the press conferences on ABC World News Tonight Wed. Edition.

I saw tapes of the governor, who has admitted that he hadn't gotten the information from the command center, but not tapes of the CEO of the mining company. The governor was on the steps of the church

Peaceful look of carbon monoxide poisoning?! That woman obviously never saw someone who died of carbon monoxide poisoning!!

I understand this was a big event. But did we have to break into regular programming to show a press conference by the doctor at Allegheny General who will be working on him? Nothing big has happened. Why did they have to break into normal TV?

Good old Pittsburgh media that makes a HUGE deal out of anything and everything

Full disclosure: I'm a journalist. As is Anderson Cooper. He is not a miner by profession. Neither were the other reporters covering this story. Neither were most of the viewers. CNN and other media did, however, interview mining experts. This is how we cover stories and then put in context, through questions posed to experts, what this information means.

This is all we have been talking about in my newsroom. For those critical of how the media handled this, consider the following: When a governor and a congressional representative tell you something is true, as in this case, you regard them as authoritative sources. The idea that this information would have gotten out in any form without being confirmed was unimaginable.

This is the situation newspapers faced late Tuesday/early Wednesday: At 11:52 p.m., The Associated Press moved a news alert that the 12 remaining miners had been found alive. Details that followed had the governor confirming this. With that confirmation, papers remade their front pages and went to press. Our final edition, for example, went to press at 1:20 a.m. Our press run was completed at 2:30 a.m. Twenty-seven minutes later, the AP issued another news alert with the horrible truth that only one miner had survived. There was nothing we or so many other papers in the Eastern United States could do except be incredulous and extremely frustrated.

I wasn't ragging on ALL media, just AC because of his privileged upbringing and that he might not be the best person to send to this neck of the woods.

I'm a huge fan of his, but I kept switching back and forth between CNN, MSNBC and Fox that night, and they all did as good a job as they could do, given the situation. They all had pretty much the same information. The main variables were which family members were interviewed by each. Anderson's one of their star reporters. CNN sent him; MSNBC sent Rita Cosby. I don't think the backgrounds of any of the reporters negatively influenced their coverage. But they all got a crash course in what a dangerous job coal mining is this week.

Though I'm a print journalist, I had to take a broadcasting course in college. Filling airtime is a lot harder than it looks, so I tend to give reporters working on developing stories like that some wiggle room. They have huge amounts of pressure on them to be the first on the air with new information.

Usually, that works in favor of print. We can wait for a story to gel, questions to be answered and inconsistencies to be cleared up. Because of when this broke, many of us got bitten this time. This story is just unbearably sad.

I understand why you would think that, but poverty isn't a prerequisite for being a reporter.

I've never been a reporter, but I've been onsite at some pretty major stories -- including a major airline crash where parts of the aircraft were still intact and there were bodies still inside. Unlike most scenes like that, we were allowed within 50 feet or so of the plane. It's remarkably intense and can be very confusing -- especially early on. It's really difficult to filter the facts from rumors.

It seems to me that what made this coverage fall apart is that the "officials" allowed themselves to be overrun by the rumor mill and became one of the catalysts for the confusion.

Exactly. And if one of those officials had spoken to a reporter as soon as they found out this incorrect information was being aired and said it wasn't confirmed ... well, it still wouldn't have been good, but it wouldn't have been quite as bad.

Cell phones played a big part, too. Once people inside the church started getting calls saying all the miners were alive, the "news" took on a life of its own.

Something I found very interesting between the apparently wonderful news and the tragic news was that some of the reporters made some comments about how it was strange that no press conference had been held and that only one ambulance had sped by them. So those on the scene were starting to feel uneasy. CNN interviewed the doctor via phone at the hospital that treated the survivor, and she found it strange that no other patients had arrived. The hospital had been told to expect 12 miners and had the necessary medical staff ready and waiting. Right then, I thought, "Uh-oh." I thought maybe some of them hadn't survived after all, but I never imagined all 11 were gone.

Quite simply, she was willing to be interviewed. She ran out of the church and up to Anderson Cooper with the news that only one miner had survived. She had first-person information. My mother had been watching earlier in the day, and apparently he had interviewed her already, so they had a relationship of sorts established. She didn't have a family member in the mine, so she wasn't so grief-stricken that she couldn't face the media.

And yes, we feel awful about asking questions of people who are going through tragedies. But it was the reporters' jobs to find out what had transpired in that church. Everybody watching wanted to know what the heck had happened. Most couldn't speak, but some went up to the reporters and volunteered information. After any tragedy, you'll see the same people on every network being interviewed. For some, this is cathartic. For some, well, I guess it makes them feel important. But I'm such a private person, I know I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that.

I had that feeling, too, but she did have important information.

ABC did a special "Prime Time" last night, and I found its dynamics very interesting -- particularly the interviews with the United Mine Workers and the "Billionaire" CEO of the company that owns the mine.

I've alluded to this in a couple of other places, but the first comment I read from the UMW was highly complimentary to the company in terms of it trying to bring the mine up to standards. Remember, they've only owned the property since November. Suddenly, the union is hyper-critical. That seems opportunistic to me.

Second, ABC's "Chief Investigative Correspondent" did an incredibly one sided and accusatory interview with the company CEO -- in answer to which, to his credit, the CEO looked the guy right in the eye, took responsibility and answered every question (when the reporter allowed him to finish a sentence) in an honest and straightforward manner. That was especially impressive since many of the answers didn't make him or the company look good -- only honest.

I think ABC did what we used to call a "hatchet job" on the CEO. It may turn out that the guy is a total jerk -- but he certainly handled himself well. Had I been sitting in his chair I might have thrown something at the reporter.

Don't worry, it's a national story. Or at least regional, as it's a pretty big deal down here, too.

I'm actually pretty proud that the man was brought to AGH (even if it's probably because it is the closest Level One trauma center to Morgantown). I wonder why he wasn't sent to UMPC, though? That's definitely higher profile.

Mines are responsible for incredible environmental damage and have shoddy safety regulations. Most should be shut down or heavily taxed.

-Rudey

Oh, she absolutely did. Interesting study of human behavior, isn't it?

Quote from Delt Alum: "ABC did a special "Prime Time" last night, and I found its dynamics very interesting -- particularly the interviews with the United Mine Workers and the "Billionaire" CEO of the company that owns the mine."

I wish I had seen that, but I was at work. Answering tough questions honestly is the best thing the owner can do now.

Before I went to bed last night, I heard some of the 911 calls, both after the accident and when the miners were found Tuesday night. Whoever talked to the 911 operator told her he thought all 12 had been found alive. No wonder it spread like wildfire.

Surviving Miner Gets 2nd Oxygen Treatment

By DANIEL LOVERING

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The lone survivor of a coal mine explosion underwent two oxygen treatments and remained under sedation as he struggles to recover from brain damage and other injuries, doctors said Friday.

Doctors stressed it would take time before the extent of the brain damage is known.

Randal McCloy Jr. was taken by ambulance Thursday from West Virginia University's Ruby Memorial Hospital to Allegheny General Hospital, where he remained in critical condition Friday.

Dr. Richard Shannon, who is leading the team of doctors treating the miner, said McCloy's first oxygen treatments went well. Doctors said McCloy has shown some movements when his medications are reduced at times.

``We'll keep him medically sedated as long as possible,'' Shannon said.

``The coma at the moment is medically induced,'' Shannon said. ``When the medications are weened or reduced, Mr. McCloy does move; Mr. McCloy does bite down on his tube; Mr. McCloy does appear to flicker his eyelids. All those things are true. I don't want to let anyone to think that is some clear indication whatsoever of the nature of the extent of his recovery or injury.''

His wife, Anna, had said earlier Friday that she felt her husband, 26, was reacting to her.

``I know he knows when I'm there because when I'm there, he gets excited,'' she said on ABC's ``Good Morning America.'' She said he also reacted when she brought their two children to see him.

McCloy was brought to Pittsburgh to undergo treatment in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which bombards the body with oxygen to battle the carbon monoxide poisoning. He completed a second session in the chamber Friday morning.

He could not have been moved from West Virginia any sooner because his condition was unstable, doctors said.

Dr. Antonio Zikos said results of the oxygen treatments won't be immediately known, adding that the treatments were a supplement ``to all the other treatments he's been getting.''

Zikos, whose specialty is pulmonary medicine, said McCloy's left lung, which had been collapsed, was doing well Friday. Doctors found a small clot in his lungs, which they described as not serious.

Zikos also said McCloy's kidneys were stabilized. He had small hemorrhages in his brain, but that they were ``a minor issue'' and have been stabilized, the doctor said.

Earlier, Dr. Lawrence Roberts, director of the West Virginia University's trauma center, said there had been some small improvement in McCloy's responsiveness, but he warned that there would not be a miraculous recovery in the hyperbaric chamber.

``We don't expect to put him in the chamber and have him open his eyes and start talking to us,'' Roberts said.

McCloy was rescued early Wednesday after being trapped in the Sago Mine near Tallmansville for more than 42 hours. Twelve other miners died.

Ben Hatfield, president and CEO of International Coal Group, which owns the mine, guessed that McCloy may have been deeper in a barricaded area that he and 11 other miners created after the explosion early Monday, and therefore farther from toxic gases. The 13th miner died in another location.

McCloy's father, Randal McCloy Sr., told The Associated Press that he believes - though he has no evidence to support it - that his son survived because his older colleagues dragged him to their makeshift hiding place and shared the last of their oxygen with him because he was the youngest, and had two small children at home.

``Those men were like brothers. They took care of each other,'' he said.

I was wondering the same thing, but was told that AGH has better equipment for this particular problem (renal? brain? lung?).

AGH has a large hyperbolic chamber than the one in morgantown. The one here couldn't fit the man and his ventilator.

That makes sense. Those are fairly few and far between and come in different sizes and flavors. A larger city or medical center is more likely to have a bigger one.

There's one here in Denver that several people can sit in at the same time. At my former station, we did a live project outside it for the TODAY Show when they brought in several avalanche victims a few years ago.

(I think these are called Hyberbaric chambers, aren't they?)

"Hyper" means increased and "baric" relates to pressure. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) refers to intermittent treatment of the entire body with 100-percent oxygen at greater than normal atmospheric pressures."

See Link for more information:

http://drcranton.com/hbo.htm

Breaking news: He has improved dramatically today and is stable enough to be flown back to a W.Va. hospital.

Oh, that's just great! Wonderful news.

It may happen as soon as tonight. About time for some good news.

He's back in Morgantown. They thought it best that he could be closer to his family as he recuperates.

From what I understand, he is never going to be completely ok. He suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen, but I'm not sure to what degree.

From what I've read, they won't know for a while. You know that entire town's hopes are pinned on him.

How Sad...
 

Peace be with all those that died in the mining accident. Bless them for writing notes and letting their loved ones know they didn't suffer. Maybe they didn't die in vain...at least I hope so--I have heard some reporters talking about this accident being a wake up call that minors need better rescue equipment and breathing aids that give them more than 1 hour of 02.

My grandfather, who died at 83, started working in the mines at age 10. He was glad when he had a chance to go the the CCC and then went on to get drafted and go to WWII. He didn't like the mining life. His father was disabled from black lung which made him had to quit school after 3rd grade and go to work to help support the family.

I hope the other miner recovers with no ill affects. I have been thinking more as I turn on my power that we shouldn't take our power sources for granted (even though my power out here in the Pacific NW by hydro sources).