Friends of Coal Continues Outreach Efforts

CHARLESTON -- The Friends of Coal is continuing its outreach efforts in print, broadcast and web media, as well as maintaining a presence at various events in the state:

PRINT:

A recent special section on the importance of coal was printed by the Charleston Newspapers. The section was published in the Sunday edition of the Charleston Gazette-Mail and featured stories on the benefits of coal to the state and nation. 
Another print project will be a section in the May 2011 edition of West Virginia Executive Magazine, which will feature stories about the economics of coal, the process of surface mining and improvements in mine safety as well as the current problems with permitting stemming from the radicalization of the federal regulatory bureaucracy under the Obama Administration. 

The Times-West Virginian will also be publishing a special section this month featuring contributions from the Friends of Coal. 

In addition, planning is beginning for the upcoming July printing of the State Journal’s annual coal mining insert.  

BROADCAST: 

The Coal Seam television show will be taping a new segment this week, featuring coverage of Gov. Tomblin’s unveiling of the new mine emergency response vehicle (MERV). The show will feature segments from the event as well as a discussion of the capabilities of the MERV. 

Two new radio advertisements were created for the tournament appearances of the Marshall and West Virginia University basketball teams. These radio spots were heard on statewide radio in conjunction with the MSN and ISP sports radio networks as well as the West Virginia Radio Network. 

The Friends of Coal and the West Virginia Coal Association were provided a pre-release copy of the first two episodes of the upcoming Spike TV television show “Coal” set for initial airing at the end of this month.  The shows were filmed at Cobalt Coal’s underground operation in McDowell County by the same producer who developed the “Deadliest Catch” and other reality television shows for the network.  Premiere events have been scheduled for March 22 at the East Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville, Kentucky, on March 23 at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown and March 24 at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, PA.  

INTERNET:  

The Friends of Coal and West Virginia Coal Association websites continue to see heavy traffic. 

WVCA:  The Association website saw over 4400 visitors for the month of February. The site also saw over 11,000 page views with 2.55 pages per visit per user. The total percentage of visitors that came from search engines was over 78% as well as visitors from over 69 countries and territories.

Friends of Coal: The Friends of Coal website saw over 1800 visitors from 32 countries and territories. The site saw over 5100 page views with 75% of visitors coming to the website for the very first time. Nearly half of all visitors found the web site via search engines.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND TOURS:

The Friends of Coal continues to add new events, speaking engagements and meet with tour groups as part of its outreach efforts:

The Friends of Coal will host a group of New York college students Monday, March 21, as part of the Wheeling Jesuit University tour program. This is a continuation of a highly successful outreach effort aimed at educating college students from non-coal producing states. This is the second group hosted so far this year. 

The Friends of Coal will make a presentation to the students at Nitro High School, Monday, March 21, 2011. 

The Friends of Coal will man an informational booth at the upcoming West Virginia Construction & Design Expo in Charleston, March 23-24. 

The Friends of Coal will also have an informational booth at the Wheeling Jesuit University is hosting the fourth International Mining Health and Safety Symposium in Charleston. The April 7-8 event at the Charleston Civic Center will bring together hundreds of leaders in the coal industry, labor and government to find solutions to the many challenges facing coal operators.

In addition, the West Virginia Coal Association will make be making presentations at the following events:

The Southern Coals Conference in Cincinnati on Thursday, March 24th.  

The Holmes Safety Association Coal River Council’s annual meeting at Chief Logan Conference Center on Saturday, April 2nd.

KVMI on April 7th. 

Jackson Kelly’s Coal Summit in Lexington, KY on April 15th.