[EAS] concerning the request for new weather Event Codes

[Dave Kline]

There is something I would like to mention regarding the information included within EAS alerts.
In my opinion, there is too much unnecessary information within EAS alerts.
Stations have less than two minutes to relay the entire contents of an alert.
To launch into a narrative about all of the places you might be able to use to take cover and what is the difference between a watch and a warning is, in my opinion, inappropriate between the EAS headers and EOMS.
I think these alerts better serve the public by being short and to the point.

What is the danger, (tornado, flash flood, hurricane) what area is being warned, a brief take cover message or whatever is appropriate for that alert to avoid being in harms way, rinse and repeat.

Lengthy EAS alerts cause a disservice in two ways. People tune them out, and stations stop carrying them.
I know of LP-1 stations that don't even carry tornado warnings anymore.

A simple [this is happening] [in this area] "take cover immediately."
Repeat once and then release the station from the alert.
This is especially critical in areas where a cable system "hi-jacks" all of the channels in their system to run an alert.
Often the local TV news channels are already providing much better coverage, only then to be interrupted by a more generic alert.  

Narratives about the meaning of a warning or the usual safety information should continue outside of the EAS alert, after the EOMs.
If you are going to add more codes and if you expect broadcasters to carry those alerts or even continue to carry what they do now, I suggest you find a way to keep them short and to the point.

This was an issue when EAS first started, some of the NWS alerts were timing out before the warning audio had finished.
At that time, I personally new the MIC at our local office, and I explained to him the confines of the EAS alert.
He understood and immediately worked to shorten the alerts.

Just because a station has two minutes (actually less in many cases) EAS time in the system, doesn't mean all of that time should be used up to get out an alert.

Again, my two cents worth.
If anyone disagrees with my point of view, I respect those opinions as much as I hope they respect mine.

Thank you.
 
Dave

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Dave Kline   UNO-TV/Mav Radio/KVNO
University of Nebraska at Omaha
6001 Dodge St. Omaha, NE  68182  CPACS 200