The rescue of 33 Chilean miners has become a huge media event and a good news success story for the Chilean Government. We look at how the Chilean Government is managing the media coverage and whether it is leveraging the story for political gain.

Today's guest host was Tom Harrington.

PART ONE

It's Thursday October 14th.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera is basking in the spotlight, thanks to the successful rescue of all 33 miners trapped underground for 69 days.

Currently, Chileans can't wait to see what he's got in store for the next earthquake.

This is The Current.

Miners Rescue - John Capobianco

The dramatic rescue of 33 Chilean miners has captured the attention and the imagination of the world. And Gary Tuckman -- the CNN reporter you heard just now -- he's not the only person making comparisons to the "where-were-you-when" quality of the moon-landing.

But behind the undeniable humanity of this story, there is also a huge, sprawling communications machine. Reporters were given biographical briefing notes about each of the miners. Audio and video feeds were carefully coordinated. Translators were on hand to accommodate the crush of reporters from all over the world.

So as Joanne Ostrow -- the TV Critic with the Denver Post -- watched it all unfold, she saw a spectacle. We heard from her.

John Capobianco has been watching this story unfold too. He spent 20 years working for various levels of government. He's now the Senior Vice President with the Canadian office of Fleishman-Hillard. It's a strategic communications firm that has offices all over the world, including in Santiago, Chile. John Capobianco was in Toronto.

Articles: Chile mine rescue: triumph of human engineering / In Coverage of Mine Rescue, Watching, Waiting and Counting 

Miners Rescue - Pablo Policzer

In the wake of the rescue, the Chilean Government is enjoying a jump in its approval ratings. For his thoughts on how the Chilean Government has managed the story of the rescue, we were joined by Pablo Policzer. He's the  Canada Research Chair in Latin American Politics at the University of Calgary.

Articles: Chilean miners trapped, but citizens approve government response / Rescuing Miners Helps Pinera as Chile Eyes Mine Tax / Chile president promises Mapuche talks

Miners Rescue - Ace in the Hole
 
Watching a human trapped underground seems to guarantee high drama. In 1925, Americans held their breath as rescue workers tried to rescue a man trapped by a cave-in in Kentucky. 25,000 tourists descended on the resuce site. He died underground before he could be reached. But that didn't stop Hollywood from turning the headlines into a 1951 blockbuster called Ace In The Hole.