Amber alert

[vchimpanzee]

I thought I started a thread about this but I can't find it after searching several pages.

I recorded a movie. I record everything. In the middle of that movie, there was an EAS-type crawl with sound effects but I could still hear dialogue. Then a robotic voice came on and I couldn't hear the movie any more. Detailed descriptions were given of the child AND of the suspect. And this happened a hundred miles from where I live. I couldn't possibly have been of any help.

Surely they could do this with just a crawl. I hope I didn't miss any important developments in the movie.

And then the child was found. Same thing again, only shorter. THAT could have been done with a crawl.

And then they told us again, but said the suspect was at large. Not a long interruption, but still inconsiderate.

The listings don't show the same movie airing again. I know the last time something similar happened I got a second chance at the movie and some details made more sense.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

How dare they interrupt your movie.

Are you flipping kidding? It’s a vital public safety service.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I am not kidding. This is inconsiderate. They can notify us with a crawl that does not disrupt the sound.

 

[fybush]

The law requires alerts on TV to appear as both text and audio, for maximum accessibility. Blind people watch TV, too.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I see. I was hoping there was a way we could do this with crawls. The description was visual, and that would be less useful for a blind person, but I suppose the person could remember the details, tell someone, and then that someone would see the child. But that is so unlikely it doesn't seem particularly useful.

I thought about a blind person having to find out the information, but in this day and age, you would think there could be some sort of technology comparable to closed captioning. If I was watching live, and that was provided, that would have been the solution for me.

 

[Kelly A]

I see. I was hoping there was a way we could do this with crawls. The description was visual, and that would be less useful for a blind person, but I suppose the person could remember the details, tell someone, and then that someone would see the child. But that is so unlikely it doesn't seem particularly useful.

I thought about a blind person having to find out the information, but in this day and age, you would think there could be some sort of technology comparable to closed captioning. If I was watching live, and that was provided, that would have been the solution for me.

Prime example of a 'first world problem'.

Newsflash: Blind people can't read a screen crawl. What sort of technology were you expecting? A Braille crawl?

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Inconsiderate? I child’s life is in potential danger when they issue those alerts. How inconsiderate, indeed.

 

[umfan]

Prime example of a 'first world problem'.

Newsflash: Blind people can't read a screen crawl. What sort of technology were you expecting? A Braille crawl?

Just about everything we discuss on here could be described as such. We live in the First World, should we not discuss things?

An awful harsh go back at VChimp for just offering an item for discussion.

I do think the louder warnings are needed, at least for a few seconds to focus attention. So many people multi-task while the TV is on, it's necessary to get their attention.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

My movie was interrupted so that vital information about a child in imminent danger could be shared. That’s beyond a first-world problem, it’s a basic lack of empathy and decency.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Prime example of a 'first world problem'.

Newsflash: Blind people can't read a screen crawl. What sort of technology were you expecting? A Braille crawl?

There are descriptions with some network programming. If we have closed captioning why can't the equivalent be available for blind people?

 

[vchimpanzee]

My movie was interrupted so that vital information about a child in imminent danger could be shared. That’s beyond a first-world problem, it’s a basic lack of empathy and decency.

But how many blind people would be capable of helping? I know the child was last seen a hundred miles from me and I couldn't possibly be of any help to the child.

Even if I could, I could read a crawl.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

The point is to bring exposure to the immediate dangerous situation. Whether or not any given individual may be able to “help” is secondary to maximum awareness and attention. It’s more important than a flipping movie of a movie on TV.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Maybe. I'll just be happier if I get another chance to see what I missed. There was a conversation between two sisters which was important to the movie. They were both very troubled, and ironically, they were in danger too. Or thought they were. Perhaps I didn't miss anything important.

Yes, I was concerned about the fictional kids who were in danger (but weren't really) rather than the real kid who was.

 

[Kelly A]

There are descriptions with some network programming. If we have closed captioning why can't the equivalent be available for blind people?

Because few programs have embedded aural descriptions, but EAS alerts including regional/local Amber and Silver alerts, are required by law to interrupt all programming sources.

 

[fybush]

Because few programs have embedded aural descriptions, but EAS alerts including regional/local Amber and Silver alerts, are required by law to interrupt all programming sources.

True, though relaying Amber and Silver alerts isn't mandatory, but rather at the licensee's option. Only NPT (national), RMT and RWTs are mandatory - and yes, must interrupt both audio and video.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Because few programs have embedded aural descriptions,

I get that's how it is, but I'm thinking of how it could be. We who can see can see crawls that don't have sound when there is severe weather. Those bulletins only affect a few people.

but EAS alerts including regional/local Amber and Silver alerts, are required by law to interrupt all programming sources.

I had another amber alert last night and I'm curious how this would work.

The one on Sunday was like a weather bulletin and was recorded. This one took over my TiVo in the middle of my watching something I have recorded, and the programs being recorded weren't affected. I couldn't do anything else such as look at listings on the TiVo, but I remembered I needed to check something on another TiVo. That one is connected to an antenna, although it points in a different direction from the stations on the cable system that would have been reporting the amber alert. Turning on the other TV I saw nothing to indicate an amber alert but it likely wouldn't have covered that area. The only way the TiVo could be taken over would be from the cable company. I don't think the amber alert was going out over the air because the two shows i was recording at the time didn't seem to have a crawl or anything.

 

[Kelly A]

The one on Sunday was like a weather bulletin and was recorded. This one took over my TiVo in the middle of my watching something I have recorded, and the programs being recorded weren't affected. I couldn't do anything else such as look at listings on the TiVo, but I remembered I needed to check something on another TiVo. That one is connected to an antenna, although it points in a different direction from the stations on the cable system that would have been reporting the amber alert. Turning on the other TV I saw nothing to indicate an amber alert but it likely wouldn't have covered that area. The only way the TiVo could be taken over would be from the cable company. I don't think the amber alert was going out over the air because the two shows i was recording at the time didn't seem to have a crawl or anything.

I didn't see the WX alert you're talking about, but a local TV station, cable or satellite provider can produce what's known as a graphic 'squeeze-back' or crawl with local weather alerts. That's their choice, and generally doesn't include audio other than a chime or some alerting noise.

If it's an EAS-system Amber, Silver, or WX alert generated in your area, it will have the various data header, alert tone(s), audio, and text crawl. In other words, EAS will have graphics and audio for TV, where something generated intended as a service of your local station or cable provider, usually there will be graphics only.

 

[vchimpanzee]

It's audio and video, and the screen goes black, when I'm on the TiVo that's connected to cable. I've never seen that with the one connected to an antenna.