Send me a text!

Have you ever wondered what happens when a tornado warning is issued while you're deep in a Netflix binge? Our emergency alert infrastructure, designed for the broadcast era of the 1990s, faces a critical challenge in today's digital world.

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) was built when everyone gathered around TV sets at scheduled times to watch their favorite shows. Today, with over 60% of Americans primarily consuming content through streaming services, these critical warnings often fail to reach their intended audience. As one public safety official bluntly put it, "If an alert goes out on a system no one uses, did it really happen?"

While newer systems like Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) buzz our phones with urgent notifications, they come with significant limitations – including a tiny 360-character limit that barely covers the basics of an emergency. Meanwhile, FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) attempts to serve as a central hub for distributing alerts across multiple platforms, but participation from tech companies remains largely voluntary. There's no federal requirement for streaming services to integrate emergency notifications, creating a dangerous patchwork of coverage.

This episode explores practical steps you can take to stay informed (like enabling emergency notifications on your devices and checking if your streaming services support alerts) while examining the future of emergency communications. From the promising Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) to the challenges of designing alerts that command attention without becoming so annoying that users disable them, we unpack the complexities of modernizing our warning systems for the streaming age.

Whether you're a tech enthusiast, safety-conscious citizen, or broadcast professional, this deep dive into the intersection of emergency communications and modern media consumption offers valuable insights into a system we all depend on but rarely think about. Help us spread the word by leaving a rating, following the show, or sharing this episode with friends who care about staying safe in our increasingly digital world.

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

Fully Modulated is an independent podcast and website, not affiliated with or endorsed by any station, media company, or network. All opinions are solely my own.

Send me a text!

What happens when the systems we rely on to keep us safe suddenly fail? That moment when a Hawaii missile alert sends an entire state into panic because someone selected the wrong menu option. Or when a critical warning never reaches you because your favorite podcast app isn't required to interrupt your listening experience like traditional radio.

Emergency alerts represent a fragile chain of trust—one that's increasingly challenged by outdated equipment, human error, and our rapidly evolving media landscape. This episode pulls back the curtain on the Emergency Alert System's vulnerabilities, exploring why nearly 14% of broadcasters failed the last nationwide test and how robotic, jargon-filled messages often confuse more than they clarify. When a warning about "FIPS Code 017031" means nothing to the average person, we have a serious communication problem.

The gaps extend beyond technical issues. While America grows more diverse, most alerts remain English-only, leaving millions unable to understand critical warnings. As streaming platforms replace traditional broadcast media, our emergency systems haven't kept pace—Netflix doesn't pause for tornado warnings. We're caught between two worlds: the broadcast infrastructure of yesterday and the digital consumption habits of today. As former FEMA IPAWS director Antoine Johnson notes, "Emergency alerting is a public service, not a technical one. If the alert doesn't reach everyone, it hasn't done its job." Join us as we examine this essential but imperfect system and explore what needs to change before the next crisis strikes. Have questions or experiences with emergency alerts? Share them with us at fullymodulated.com.

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

Fully Modulated is an independent podcast and website, not affiliated with or endorsed by any station, media company, or network. All opinions are solely my own.

Send me a text!

When disaster strikes, the Emergency Alert System becomes the critical lifeline between danger and safety. But how well does this federally mandated network actually perform when lives hang in the balance?

Through compelling real-world examples, we dive into EAS operations during the devastating 2011 Joplin tornado, where broadcasters became first responders as cell networks failed and storms darkened skies. You'll learn how redundant systems ensured alerts reached car radios and battery-powered receivers when other communication channels went silent. We also explore the vital role of Amber Alerts in child abduction cases, examining how the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) technology transforms these time-critical messages into data-rich broadcasts across multiple platforms simultaneously.

But this episode doesn't shy away from system failures. From misconfigured equipment causing havoc across entire broadcast markets to missed alerts due to simple certificate errors, we reveal how human diligence remains both the greatest strength and potential weakness in emergency broadcasting. As one FEMA official notes, "Amber Alerts are time critical and even a five-minute delay can change the outcome." Through stories of broadcast engineers catching critical failures during routine tests and implementing smart redundancies, we demonstrate why proper maintenance isn't just technical housekeeping—it's a public safety imperative.

Have you experienced an EAS alert failure or success story? Text us your experiences using the link in our episode description. Next time, we'll explore the flip side: examining the challenges and limitations that keep the Emergency Alert System from reaching its full potential. If you found this valuable, please rate and review Fully Modulated, especially on Apple Podcasts—it significantly helps others discover these critical behind-the-scenes insights into broadcasting technology.

Included EAS alert audio courtesy of News/Talk 820 WBAP

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

Fully Modulated is an independent podcast and website, not affiliated with or endorsed by any station, media company, or network. All opinions are solely my own.