Business Communication and Character

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News Conference About Hurricane Maria

TempRicardo Rossello the governor of Puerto Rico, gave a news conference to encourage people to move to shelters before Hurricane Maria hit. He warns people that the storm will be "catastrophic" and unlike what residents have experienced in the past.

The video caption reads, "Governor URGES Puerto Rico residents to shelter as Hurricane Maria arrives," but he could sound more urgent.

Sadly, the governor was right in his predictions. Hurricane Maria left the entire island without power and destroyed many properties.

That's a lot of people supporting him behind the podium. We don't know whether they each spoke or were there for some other reason.

Discussion:

  • Who are the governor's primary and secondary audiences for the news conference?
  • What are his communication objectives for each audience?
  • How well does he achieve his objectives?
  • How urgent does he sound to you? What could he do to sound more urgent?