World watches mine rescue on Web

On the Web for the past 40 hours, we have all been Chilean.

In a rare moment of global rejoicing over a hazardous plight ending happily - with international cooperation, glad shouts from massed crowds in the night, the tears of happy spouses and children as the miners emerge - the Internet has been not only the bearer of glad images and texts, but also a warm, embracing, unifying force.

As of Oct. 12, 2010, TV and Web converged to tell a story of success, unity and jubilation. "JOY AS FIRST CHILE MINERS RESCUED" was the exuberant headline on BBCnews.com. Throughout the Web, hundreds of news sites live-streamed the compelling video. (Web sites do what TV used to do and still does: Blare "LIVE COVERAGE!") Others, like Al Jazeera, ran live blogs. It led most major news sites here and abroad, elbowing out glum tidings of economic slump and vicious politics. User traffic was so heavy that many sites, such as those for the BBC and CNN, slowed way down.

The televised image is no longer stationary: It flows through the walking, moving social world. People on buses, trains and sidewalks all over the globe were glued to their handheld screens or laptops. Indoors, thousands stole time from work to watch on their desk computers.

What's more, many of them, thousands and thousands, posted, blogged, and tweeted about it. They turned spectatorship into social discourse, and rarely has such discourse been so joyful.

Dozens of Facebook pages were dedicated to the miners. One titled "Chile to the Miners: A Million Thanks" had more than 8,000 friends. Messages include: "From Costa Rica, our heart is with you" and "From Japan: Chile and the world united for the miners!" and "With this story of hope, we are all family; nationality doesn't matter."

And, in a sign of these communication times, Facebook posters often mentioned they were watching on another medium: CNN, BBC, Sky News. Closing the circle.