Headline: Broadcasters May Suspend Tests

Source: The Associated Press, Tuesday, 18 September 2001

URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/latestap/A50067-2001Sep18.html

WASHINGTON –– The government is allowing television and radio stations to suspend routine tests of the emergency alert system this month to avoid creating confusion or fear following last week's terrorist attacks.

The Federal Communications Commission won't punish broadcast stations or cable systems for not conducting the required tests before Oct. 2, the agency said Tuesday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had requested that broadcast stations suspend the weekly and monthly tests, the FCC said.

[Well, this is appropriate. But the "may" should really be "must" IMHO.

So, if you hear an alert tone over the radio or TeeVee, it's probably something REAL...for the rest of this month, anyhow.]

-- Andre Weltman (aweltman@state.pa.us), September 18, 2001

Answers

This is a continuation of the overall Government policy, carried over from the Y2K CountDown, to avoid public Panic, at any cost.

-- Robert Riggs (rxr.999@worldnet.att.net), September 18, 2001.