[BC] BUSH ORDERS UPDATE OF EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM

[Harold Hallikainen]

>From Benton Communications Headlines (http://www.benton.org)

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

BUSH ORDERS UPDATE OF EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Spencer S. Hsu]
President Bush yesterday ordered Homeland Security Secretary Michael
Chertoff to overhaul the nation's hodgepodge of public warning
systems, acknowledging a critical weakness unaddressed since the 2001
terrorist attacks and exposed again last year by Hurricane Katrina.
The Emergency Alert System, best known for weather bulletins and
Amber Alerts for missing children, should be upgraded to explore
communicating by cellphones, personal digital assistants and text
pagers targeted to geographic areas or specific groups, U.S.
officials said. In a 30-paragraph executive order issued by the White
House without comment, President Bush assigned Sec Chertoff to
implement a freshly stated U.S. policy "to ensure that under all
conditions the President can communicate with the American people,"
including in cases of war, terrorist attack, natural disaster or
other public danger. The move follows mounting criticism that the
nation's alert systems are outmoded relics of the Cold War. The first
was set up in 1951 to enable the president to address the public in
the event of nuclear attack through a chain of television and radio
broadcasters. Under existing rules, for example, participation of
broadcasters in state and local alerts is voluntary. The Federal
Communications Commission limits messages to two minutes, and the
system's technology is outdated.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/26/AR2006062601304.html
(requires registration)
* Executive Order: Public Alert and Warning System
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060626.html

-- 
FCC Rules Updated Daily at http://www.hallikainen.com - Advertising
opportunities available!