We Americans are losing our sanity. The journalistic sensationalism that surrounded this story was nothingmore than tabloid journalism. The media hanging around that church like vultures caused many of the problems. Everybody became a celebrity. One man was already confirmed dead, the utmost caution and restraint should have been used by all involved.

This event has sadden all of us somehow and in someway. What's even sadder is that we're now only talking about who should be held responsible(in the communication relay), instead of tending to the needs of the families of the deceased and praying for the lone survivor. What happened in the mis-communicaton wasn't something that was done maliciously or with bad intent - it was just an honest mistake along with anticipation of something that we were all hoping to eventually hear. Let's redirect our focus immediately to the families and the surviving Mr McLoy, then to the safety and operational issues of mines that cause tragic events like this to happen.

My heart goes out to the families who have suffered so much in this tragedy, they are in my thoughts and prayers. As horrible as this is, I don't think anyone can point a finger as to who's fault this miscommunication was. Everyone wanted to see them alive and a happy ending to this event. What's done is done and nothing can bring those men back. The only thing that should be done is to be thankful for the one who did survive and to investigate the cause of this accident. I understand the families' anger, they have every right to be, but if they are going to be quick to point fingers, they should look at themselves as well for not confirming their information before reacting.

The MEDIA got lost in the fog of war. Always discount first reports they are almost always wrong.

I cannot believe that intelligent people could blame the media for what was broadcast last night. The media was doing there job--reporting what they were told. It seems to me that all the reporters were caught up in the story, everyone wanted those men to be alive.The fault lies with the company that allowed the information to be leaked, and then had the audacity to wait 3 hours to say, sorry we made a mistake. Watching Mr. Hatfield at his press conference this afternoon, I felt like he presented a timeline that would cover his butt. I don't care that this company only owned the mine a month, I am sure they knew of the previous violations, and the violations that were received in December.THESE MEN SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THAT MINE IN THE FIRST PLACE!Then no one would have to explain to these families why their loved ones are dead. Instead of pointing fingers, everyone needs to make a loud enough cry to make sure violations are fixed, lives are kept safe and the most important thing is not the almighty dollar.

I don't believe this is anyone in particular's fault. The fact that no one even knew where this 'good news' started should tell us something. I believe everyone was just so exhausted and hanging on to the slightest shred of hope that it got away from everyone. We have to remember that the most important thing here are the men that lost their lives and the lone survivor. God bless all of them and their families. Pray for them and pray that this doesn't happen again.

I blame the media representatives on site for not checking their facts before putting the information out there. As a former journalist, I can't say that I am impressed with what has been happening in the news business over the last 20 years. The sloppiness demonstrated last night by the celebrity anchors in West Virginia is just the latest example.

This is an extemely difficult situation for all involved. Certainly the news delivered to the church most damaging. My question is, Why blame the Media when the mining company or the immediate rescue workers let the poor information out? I watched every hour of the programming on MSNBC and find no blame there. It is my understanding the Media was kept at quite a distance from the internal cituation.

Brian:
How many more miners must die for coal? How many more people must die for oil? When will we turn to other sources for our energy needs?

Brian I imagine you won't post this but you should be in West Virginia with the miners family. ABC was there you weren't.

I was glued to the T.V. in disbelief that they found them all alive considering all the circumstances. My heart went out to all the families. The media delivered the news they heard from the elated family members. Had I been in that church I would have wanted to rejoice as well but again considering all the deadly circumstances I would have wanted to make sure the news I was hearing was from a reliable source. Hatfield should not have waited 3 hours to let these people know that infact only 1 had survived. The other unbelivalble new was that these men were able to go to the church that soon to see there loved ones and again this was being told to the media by the families. My prayes go out to all the men who perished and to the one who was strong enough to survive. May God be with these men and there families during this most difficult time!

All the blame assignment in the world is not going to change what has already been done. Maybe everyone - the media, rescuers, family members, viewers, presidents, governors, CEO's- all parties- can change the way we ourselves respond in these situations and spend our energy trying to never do this again instead of point fingers and judging each other. No one likes the rug pulled out from underneath them and that is exactly what has happened. how very very sad.

I don't think we should blame the media. Instead of focusing on the miscommunciation, we should focus on the family members and help them through a difficult time. The mine owners should spend time, effort, and money to provide safety in the mines for their employees. This is the second major incident in the last 5 years, and who know how many other accidents that the public don't know. Safety is number one not blaming others.

I am so surprised that so much attention is given to such a situation. I went online to MSNBC hoping to find out information on Mr. McLoy, the one surviving miner. Instead, I see a long list of gripes, thanks, finger pointing, etc. listed. So, how is Mr. McLoy???? How are the families of the deceased??? How are they coping with the death of their loved ones, and how are they coping with what now will be the hardest thing they ever had to deal with, the death of a loved one.

There have been many reporters demanding that the families of these miners deserve an explanation as to how this rumor was started and how it was broadcast to the world. Well, MSNBC, CNN, FOX and the rest of the media, the rest of the world would like to hear your explanation as well. It sickens me that anyone would try to pin this on Mr. Hatfield, the government or the people who went in that mine, risking their own lives to save those men. Did ANYONE in the media try to confirm this information? By the way, how is the one surviving miner? It seems he has been forgotten. Apparently he is not the big story now, it's who the media can blame for their own screw up.

There is a great article by the editor of the Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, explaining exactly what happened, but, more importantly, why the media are to blame in this as well. (http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/13548484.htm) I work with journalists and they will fact check information with me on the most insignificant minutae because not only is it their job and reputation on the line, it is also the right thing to do for their readers. I, like many others, went to bed thinking, "What a miracle, they're alive." I woke up and turned on the news and thought "How did this happen?" I can tell you exactly why millions of Americans believed what I did last night: because media outlets wanted to get the story out first, forget about checking facts. I realize that it's easy to get caught up in the frenzy and be excited, but I'd also caution the media to remember why you are at these types of events in the first place: to do a job. I also realize no one is perfect and mistakes happen; however, this was a pretty big mistake on a pretty large scale to let slide.

Sorry, the rule is that the ones with superior knowledge, or should have superior knowledge, have the greatest responsibility. This holds in law and in science, my profession, and it needs to hold in journalism. What goes out over the networks is the responsibility of the reporters and network, this is not an OOPS, so sorry moment. The media is at fault here entirely, not false messages or false messengers. Maybe this brings in focus why media with agendas are so loathed today.

We are often told that the "News business" is very very competitive and this is a reason to not harshly criticize when errors occur. Most of us, your audience, actually stick with one news outlet the largest percentage of the time and never, never spend a minute trying to determine who had any given story first. We are most interested in something being sure to be right rather than sure to be first. The media has been burned a good bit lately getting ahead of itself- please don't do it on our account and the result will be that you report the results of an election not your speculation and actual survivors if we have the extreme good fortune of their being survivors.

I don't think that finger pointing at this time is really going to make much of a diffrence to those people who are hurting from this terrible accident. Instead of taking the time hear to speak our minds about what the media did or didn't do right we could use that time instead praying for those that lost their lives. These people died and they leave wives, girlfriends, and children behind to greive for them. For those who are feeling the loss of a loved one they no longer care what was said about this, all they know is their loved one is not coming home...ever. As someone else said this is not a story about the MEDIA it is a story about a terrible accident that happened in this mine.

"...and we have just confirmed...." I can't prove it a day later, but I would swear in court that I heard Rita Cosby SAY these words right before she announced that 12 miners had been found alive. Confirmed?... how?... with whom? I didn't let myself believe the good news from anyone else (even Anderson Cooper, who is a far better reporter in general) until I heard Rita say "confirmed." Does that word mean anything anymore?

Tori (New Bedford, MA)

One would expect that Ben Hatfield, the mining company CEO, would have urged greater caution and used better discretion in communicating the status of the rescue efforts to the waiting families and media. His NON-UNION mining company (International Coal Group) ought to be fully investigated for possible worker safety violations! This situation makes me want to see John Sayles' film "Matewan" again. I send my compassion and sympathy to the families suffering an unimaginable loss right now.

For all of the family members of those who lost their lives in such a tragedy, the prayers of my family are with you today as they were in the beginning praying for a safe outcome. Please find comfort in the family and friends that are by your side at this time. Draw strength from their love, encouragement & prayers. We all look forward to the resurrection hope promised in the scriptures.

I am heart broken about this terrible ordeal the families were subjected to. I place no blame on the media. The horrific mistake was clearly made by the Ben Hatfield, CEO of the mining company. He was the messenger to the families and the media throughout this entire ordeal. He appeared extremely cautious and detailed from square one in releasing information. If I were a reporter on the seen, I would have rested assured that if it weren't true and verified by Hatfield and his Legal Counsel, it would not have been released to the families.

Brian
It seems when disasters and problems arise in our world, that we immediately need someone to blame--the recent Katrina disaster with everyone trying to place the blame somewhere other than their own backdoor was disgusting to those of us who are news addicts. Sometimes when we hear what we want to hear and not what was actually said--this reminds me of the game of gossip. West Virginians thank all of those who have prayed for the miners and their familes--keep doing so for the next few weeks. Let's focus on the families and their tradegy!

I understand the responsibility of public relations because as a human resource manager I recognize the fall out of not doing so, but why blame the organization immediately, once again not getting all the facts for the story, and asking why weren't they watching the media? Technology is a wonderful thing, brings stories like this to all of the world; however, we need to be responsible and patient as well. People and the process of making decisions don't always work as fast as a satelite, a T-1 line, or a keyboard.