I may be mistaken, but prior to 1996 or so, it was voluntary at the federal level, but what did the Telecommunications Act (circa '96) say the FCC "should" do? I hope, in the event of a thermonuclear war that prudence would dictate the broadcast of pertinent information on/at the national level.
"The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a nationwide emergency alerting program that broadcasters, cable and wireless cable television systems, and other service providers identified by the Commission (as EAS Participants) must provide communications capability to the President to address the nation in national emergencies. EAS also is available at the state and local level to enable EAS Participants, on a voluntary basis, to transmit local or state emergency information, such as severe weather warnings and child abduction alerts (“Amber Alerts”). The Commission, in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), implement EAS at the federal level. "
I am just some listener/radiophile. Why "must" private stations make available time/space for the Office of the President of the United States of America, to "address" me/us? Even on my private cell phones and other wireless technologies?
It was "voluntary" at the federal level, now it is not; or am I mistaken? Is analog radio the next "target of opportunity" for mandated digitization, thus effectively reducing the "diversity" of the airways? (It has already occured with television.)
