Page 44 - FCW, September/October 2019
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FCWIdeas
Netflix and Pandora:
The future of emergency alerts?
As Americans turn away from traditional media platforms,
many are calling for emergency alerts to be expanded to streaming services
BY TROY HARPER
The percentage of U.S. adults expected to cancel their TV service is projected to hit 18.9% this year, with a staggering 39.3 million cut- ting the cord. But as more consum- ers rely solely on streaming video and audio services such as Netflix, Hulu, Spotify and Pandora, they may inadvertently be cutting themselves off from receiving critical alerts broadcast through the Emergency Alert System.
EAS is run by the Federal Com-
munications Commission, which works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and National Weather Service to broadcast emer- gency alerts. The rapid evolution in how Americans consume content presents a challenge for agencies and organizations responsible for ensuring that as many residents
as possible are warned of impend- ing danger. And it is why many are calling for emergency alerts to be expanded to streaming-services plat-
forms or even to internet-of-things- enabled smart home devices.
How the current system works
Although the FCC requires cable and satellite TV and radio stations to broadcast emergency alerts, there are no such requirements for streaming services. Last year, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) intro- duced the Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement Act, which the Senate passed. Among
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