Americus GA tornado last March

[Horns]

National Weather Service's Service Assessment just released, it says the Georgia Office of Emergency Management blames automation of radio stations in Americus for lack of warning on late night tornadoes in the area. Apparently, no EAS activation in spite of early warning from the NWS.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/AL-GA_tornadoes07.pdf

 

[knozall]

Is that the sound of law suits being filed against radio stations by home owners who lost property?

 

[kyscott]

Is that the sound of law suits being filed against radio stations by home owners who lost property?

I think the FCC should step in and demand the licensees to prove their fitness to own a license. It used to be that you had to prove your service to the public before the FCC would grant a renewal. If I was a resident of Americus, I'd challenge every renewal that came up.

 

[kyscott]

Is that the sound of law suits being filed against radio stations by home owners who lost property?

I think the FCC should step in and demand the licensees to prove their fitness to own a license. It used to be that you had to prove your service to the public before the FCC would grant a renewal. If I was a resident of Americus, I'd challenge every renewal that came up.

On further reflection, I think the FCC should visit all of these stations to make sure the EAS equipment is installed and working properly. I have all my clients' EAS equipment set to immedietly forward tornado warnings with the highest priority.

 

[olhankster]

It would be a shame if the only radio station live in Americus was actually in Warner Robins. Not sure about what others did, because I was live on WRPG, WNNG, WQXZ, WQSA and WCEH. I broke the story about Sumter Regional Hospital, but if you think about it, I was in Warner Robins and not in harms way at the moment. There is no excuse if the EAS is not working. But, even with those alerts set to go off immediately, the listeners still may not even pay attention since they only air once. Anyone who ever announced a Tornado Watch knows what I am talking about.

Of course, I wouldn't doubt that most Americus residents would have listened to the local stations knowing they are on the bird at night. They likely turned to B100, WALB News 10 or the Weather Channel anyway. And the tornado popped up so fast that is would have been hard to get someone on WISK/WDEC due to where they are located. Not making excuses for them. I think any broadcaster that fails to meet EAS rules should be fined. But, in the economic realities of the day, I don't see many small market stations changing their routines.

I had a commitment to get the word out. It cost me just the feed to the other stations. I did that myself. It's somebody elses turn next time since I gave up being on the air.

 

[kyscott]

And the tornado popped up so fast that is would have been hard to get someone on WISK/WDEC due to where they are located. Not making excuses for them. I think any broadcaster that fails to meet EAS rules should be fined. But, in the economic realities of the day, I don't see many small market stations changing their routines.

I totally see your points Hank, however, it is un-thinkable that any radio station in south Georgia NOT have their EAS box to do an immediate forward on a tornado warning. I would love to do further investigation on this and check the printout of the stations' EAS decoder to see if a warning was received and to see if it was then turned around and broadcast. According to the NWS report, they were not. I have 10 radio clients. All 10 of them are programmed to immediately forward any tornado warning. Granted, if I had of been at home, I would have been watching WALB, however you have to admit there were people out on the road. Regardless, it's incumbent upon broadcasters to serve the public. Warning the pubic of threats such as tornadoes is something radio broadcasters should do out of the obligation they SHOULD feel to serve their listeners. Pluggin in a satellite feed from JRN then walking away is not serving the public. I feel they should be held accountable when they renew their licenses.

 

[olhankster]

I can assure you that EAS alerts went out from the proper sources, so if it did not go out locally, what happened? I'd like to know, too. If WISK/WDEC did not have their EAS in service, I bet it is now. The inspectors probably already either visited or will be soon. I have met them...believe me when I say the first thing they will look at is your EAS, followed by Public File and Tower. They are very no nonsense guys, so if our Americus friends haven't prepared...don't wait. In fact, you may have lots of explaining to do if you have be complacent. It costs far less to maintain your equipment than the fines and legal bills to deal with this. And don't get me started on the main studio rules...

I always required immediate forwarding of Tornado Warnings at every station I ever programmed or managed. I know of one relay station that would run very few tests or warnings back in the day. I know at Clear Channel Macon and Augusta, even on their live stations they have immediate relays set even for tests. It is too big a risk not to. I totally agree and glad you understand where I was coming from. I wish more broadcasters actually would see radio as less of an ego thing and more of doing the right thing.

 

[Horns]

I'm a meteorologist and started this thread. Remember, this wasn't an isolated storm that just popped up. This was a major outbreak of deadly tornadoes that started in the afternoon and continued until late at night into GA. The Enterprise, AL tornado hit the high school earlier in the day and Columbus, GA was hard hit in the evening. I don't understand how any broadcaster could just lock up and leave the station playing automation or VT or satellite or whatever they have while this zone of supercells was heading toward them. The license should be revoked...period.

 

[BarryATL]

I owned a business in Lake Charles, LA during Hurricane Rita. I was back in Lake Charles 6 hours after Rita looking at my $350,000.00 worth of damage. I visited the studios of Apex Broadcasting. They were on the air on whatever transmitter they had with diesal for the generator.

Down the street at Clear Channel (now Cumulus) all of thier stations were still broadcasting automated music with the WRONG TIME on every station. CC evacuated 12 hours before the hurricane and did not come back SEVEN DAYS after the hurricane. All of their stations broadcasted automated music until the fuel ran out at either the transmitter or the studio.

It is just wrong for a broadcast station to not serve the people that not only are the licensed to, but that pay the advertising bills.

I was in Hattiesburg, MS a few years ago when tornadoes came through. Power was killed to every single broadcast outlet in the market, including Comcast. Everybody was down to car and battery operated radios. One station in the market was on the air. It was a 100KW FM. The DJ on the air was broadcasting updates... but kept playing music while the entire area was starved for infomation. Again, the station should have been wall-to-wall with the phones open to people calling in updates.

Everybody keeps talking about radio dieing... well, sometimes the broadcasters are their own worst enemies.

 

[olhankster]

Amen, Barry...I hope that the next generation will learn from those mistakes, but I have become cynical about that. I had a hard time trying to find people who would come to work everyday much less gave a rats behind about the community. I am thankful I got out of programming and management when I did. When I go back, and I will one day, I hope I will be less burned out on this subject.

I will say this about those stations I left behind...they are in good hands and will do whatever it takes to get the info out. But, even if the EAS is working you only get the announcement out once. And usually, there could be mulitple warnings coming and one gets missed occasionally. That is a documented fact at my old stations.

On March 1st, I was on the air watching the storms along with my news department. I left Hawkinsville, went back to Warner Robins and setup the simulcast. Not to toot my own horn, but I watched the storms as close as anyone and I know my weather. Sadly - note this is the main point I was making - even with this information that us informed individuals knew, most small market stations just don't know nor care. If they think that they can get away with putting their public file at the local public library to avoid staffing the stations, they are not going to worry about the main studio rule nor anything else. Most think if you have the EAS, that's all you really need. And if it doesn't work, oops until they are visited by the three guys with an Alabama tag and badges. If you are visited, they are by the book even more now on this issue. (Before you comment on that, I was visited recently and cleared of any problem they thought of. That's how I know the vehicle.)

Unlike most of my co-workers over the years, not everyone cares about this anymore. But, the nature of the beast today is different that five years ago much less twenty. If you don't run the EAS alerts you will be fined per station and possibly risk your community standing. Sometimes you just have to do what you need to do. For every bad corporate radio ball drop y'all can give, I can give a good thing.

There are very few broadcasters like me around these days. But, there are enough to make it worth while for those of us still in the business. If they dropped the ball, they will be fined.