BP Bows to Pressure for Oil Leak Livestream

[janx]

Source: CBS News

Hours after hearing a demand from a congressional chairman, BP announced the oil company would provide a live broadcast of the oil spill from a government website.

“This may be BP’s footage, but it’s America’s ocean," Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Edward Markey, the chairman who made the demand, said in a statement. "Now anyone will be able to see the real-time effects the BP spill is having on our ocean."

The chairman of a congressional subcommittee called on BP to release live video feeds of the oil gushing from a blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico.

Earlier Wednesday, Markey demanded the broadcast so independent scientists could more accurately calculate the flow rate. He questioned why such data wasn't readily being made public.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/19/tech/main6500110.shtml?tag=topnews

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[Lucian]

1. I don't know why people call it a spill...

when the oil wasn't spilled. It's leaking.

Sorry, not attacking the OP. Just annoyed by the use of that term.

[janx]

3. Oh, so am I!

And I'm always grateful when someone points that out.

[Downwinder]

4. It's an uncontrollable flow. n/t

[northernlights]

7. it's not a leak either. It's gushing. It's a geyser.

:(

[Lucian]

9. Touche.

[CLANG]

11. Leaking is like a faucet. This is an eruption and continuous flow of oil.

[neverforget]

12. It's an oil volcano.

[tekisui]

2. Finally!

BP has had 8 livestream cameras on the leak since the first week. It has been way to long with BP calling the shots and hiding information.

[janx]

5. You are not alone in your sentiments:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4388906

[underpants]

6. This is counter to Public Relations 101- control the message and image

that is why BP has not made this available. They are students of the same business training as all of our suits. This is the worst thing that could happen to them.

[janx]

8. Actually, that kind of thinking changed in the 80s during the

Tylenol debacle. Companies must own up to their errors and share information if they're to be taken seriously. (I studied this in grad school in the early 90s.) BP is far behind in its PR efforts. They have a few talking points down, and they have their "point men," but the PR has been terrible.

The repetition of "This has never been done at 5,000 feet before!" is especially egregious, because what they're essentially saying is that they weren't prepared.

[defendandprotect]

10. Didn't get to see it this morning -- so thanks for the news -- Cheers to Markey!!

C-span II and III couldn't be picked up this morning --

Didn't think to tap in via computer/internet!

Hope to see Markey in a repeat!!