Minnesota releases $60,000 "don't worry, be ready" PSA's

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http://www.pioneerplanet.com/seven-days/1/tech/docs/037154.htm

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 11, 1999

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Published: Thursday, November 11, 1999

Y2K PSAs say don't worry, be ready

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MARTIN J. MOYLAN STAFF WRITER

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Gov. Jesse Ventura's Y2K superboard has released four radio and six TV public service announcements that will tell a public already seemingly unperturbed about Y2K not to worry about it.

The messages feature Ventura, Lt. Gov. Mae Schunk, a bank teller, an NSP lineman, a US West operator and a Bloomington police officer. They counsel the public to make rational preparations and not to overreact by taking lots of money of the bank, for instance, or picking up the phone on the New Year's weekend just to see if it works.

``Avoid checking your telephone around midnight,'' says Ventura in one ad. ``Too much phone use may interrupt service. Prepare just as you would during any Minnesota winter and keep an ample supply of food and medicine on hand. Know what your community has done to prepare for Y2K.''

The Y2K (or millennium) bug, of course, is a programming flaw that can cause computers to fail to recognize the Year 2000 and malfunction. But businesses and government have been spending billions of dollars to find and fix the bug.

``We're ready,'' said superboard chairman and Administration Department Commissioner David Fisher. ``We expect business as usual into next year. The energy industry is ready. The largest local and long-distance providers are ready. The financial industry is ready. . . . Our biggest concern is people overreacting.''

So far, though, there's not much indication of that happening, he acknowledged.

In fact, the latest Y2K Gallup poll, done in August, found 7 percent of people expect the bug to cause major problems; 52 percent, minor problems; 40 percent, no problems at all.

Six percent said they were very concerned about the bug; 32 percent, somewhat concerned; 64 percent, not too concerned or not concerned at all.

Broadcasters will likely give the PSAs significant free airtime, expects Jim du Bois, a superboard member and president of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association.

``I wouldn't be surprised if as many as 70 percent (of broadcasters) air them,'' he said. ``And I think we'll see some nice placements. Broadcasters see the opportunity to serve the public.''

The ads cost $60,000 to produce, an amount picked up by the state of Minnesota.

The seeming lack of concern about Y2K is a ``a double-edged sword,'' du Bois said.

``We're certainly pleased there's not a groundswell of panic,'' he said. ``But we want people to be aware of what they should be thinking about should there some Y2K difficulties.''

The TV ads are posted on the superboard's Web site, www.y2ok.state.mn.us .

For more information about Y2K, visit PioneerPlanet. Go to: www.pioneerplanet.com/y2k .

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 11, 1999.


Aren't people in Minnesota pretty stockpiled as a norm? I once spoke with a German immigrant who had lived there before moving to AZ, and she said they all had been in her neighborhood. She said being snowed in was common and always on ones mind, the block would hear of a store selling some bags of potatoes or such item and the one with a snow mobile would go forth on behalf of the block with many envelopes of money in his pocket.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 11, 1999.

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