Mine rescue a world media event

The first of the Chilean miners began their escape to safety tonight, accompanied by an onslaught of inter-connected media attention which has seldom been seen. The wide range of material available came from Chilean TV, which has installed a complex camera and production facility at the mine site. It may be the first time in history, for example, that live television pictures from the underground prison have been flashed around the world while the miners were still trapped there. It is a gripping human drama. But the political and patriotic elements in Chile have also driven efforts to provide as much coverage as possible.