Unless we were to nationalize them, they'd need to be profitable businesses to survive---especially as fewer and fewer people tune to the AM band.
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A Change Coming to KGO
- Thread starter atthestars
- Start date
That's really an FCC/government thing. They control the frequencies, and they oversee EBS. When congress passed the Homeland Security Act after 9/11, that became part of DHS. Radio stations really have no say in the matter. If radio companies shut down their AM stations, then it's up to the government to keep EBS going somehow. The federal government isn't allowed to own domestic radio stations, so they'd have to figure something out. Maybe hand it off to the states.
And IF the only stations on AM are there for the event of an emergency, will enough people remember that they're there to make them useful?
The FCC and DHS have been transitioning some aspects of EBS to cell phones
Wireless Emergency Alerts
Wireless Emergency Alerts or WEA Wireless Emergency Alerts or WEA (formerly known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS)) is a public safety system that allows customers who own certain wireless phone models and other enabled mobile devices to receive geographically-targeted, text-like...
Yes, I think DHS should subsidize the operation of several 50kW omni (day and night) AM signals AND continually promote the idea of using AM radio for news and info when everything else falls apart (maybe provide 1 free AM [maybe w/FM too] radio on request [user buys batteries]).
Kirk Bayne
Right. Which, I would expect is how most people would receive information. I think, though, there are some people in this thread who are concerned about people who live in remote areas or about what might happen if cellular service fails---thus the question about keeping clear channel AMs around purely for emergencies.The FCC and DHS have been transitioning some aspects of EBS to cell phones
Wireless Emergency Alerts
Wireless Emergency Alerts or WEA Wireless Emergency Alerts or WEA (formerly known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS)) is a public safety system that allows customers who own certain wireless phone models and other enabled mobile devices to receive geographically-targeted, text-like...www.fcc.gov
On 9/11 most of the cell phone antennas in the area went down with the twin towers. Cingular and Verizon had to bring in Cellular on Wheels trailers so the emergency workers could have cell phone service for communications. Yeah. That was in the middle of New York City. Microwave transmitters that link cell phone service can go down when the power goes down. There are so many more things that can fail in a cell phone network.The FCC and DHS have been transitioning some aspects of EBS to cell phones
Wireless Emergency Alerts
Wireless Emergency Alerts or WEA Wireless Emergency Alerts or WEA (formerly known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS)) is a public safety system that allows customers who own certain wireless phone models and other enabled mobile devices to receive geographically-targeted, text-like...
Let me tell a little story about how technology progresses and people don't feel the need to keep up their old-school skills:
Actually, it's Tina Fey who tells the story. She was in Napa filming "Wine Country" in 2019 when her daughter, then 14 and at home in New York, texts her, asking if it's okay for her to watch SNL.
Tina, an SNL alum, figures hey, 14's probably about right and texts back that she can.
Daughter texts back: "Thanks. How do I do that?"
Tina: "Do what?"
Daughter: "Watch SNL."
Tina: "Go into the living room at 11:35, turn on the TV and turn the cable box to Channel 4."
Daughter: "What? "
Tina: "What what?"
Daughter: "I have to turn on the TV and a cable box? And how do I turn it to Channel 4?"
Tina: "Are you serious right now?"
Daughter: "I'll watch it on YouTube in the morning."
If you really want a laugh, ask somebody under 40 to dial a number using an old dial phone.
Absolutely. I got my first touchtone phone 47 years ago. It'd be like asking me to use an old crank phone (is that even what they called them?).
Back in the 60s before everybody had cable my dad had a little gadget on his TV called a Channel Master antenna rotator. You would push a button down and this thing would actually rotate the antenna towards the transmitter for better reception. We lived in Sonora California up in the mountains and we would turn the antenna in one direction for Sacramento stations, another direction for San Francisco Stations, and yet a third direction to hit the one station in Chico, California. My C-band satellite antenna had something similar, but much more powerful to turn that big dish towards different satellites.
Turn on the cable box? Indeed.
Turn on the cable box? Indeed.
I remember the antenna rotators. And the UHF converter boxes for rural areas like where I grew up (Bishop) so you could watch UHF translators from L.A. on your VHF only TV.
As I said there's a law that prohibits the feds from owning domestic radio. That would have to be repealed.
Based on the level of preparedness that I've seen with DHS over several recent emergencies, including Hurricane Ian, I would say that they aren't even thinking about AM radio. They've had opportunities to use EAS and they haven't. At one point I was hearing that NOAA was talking about shutting down its weather radio service, or that congress was thinking about defunding it.
I till have two rotary style phones. I use one in my home office because I much prefer it over my cell phone. The sound quality is better, and I don’t have to worry about too much RF exposure if I get a call that goes on for a long period of time. Also, it works when the power is out.
bangs head on desk.. where do you come up with these ideas?
I guess old terms die hard. It's been called the Emergency Alert System since 1997.
Picture everyone under the age of 50 jumping out of their seats immediately after hearing the loud crackling after turning on said AM radio. They’ll run to their rotary phone trying to figure out how to call 911.
They could lease the air time to the sports gambling people when they don't need it for emergencies.
whos gonna operate these stations? whos gonna program them? what will they program?
That will open a can of worms, with one side happy, and one side complaining all the time
The government is already too involved in radio.
BAD idea
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