Pittsburgh's Fox Affiliate ran a test of the Emergency Alert System during Obama's Special

[Orrex]

The test began with the familiar, shrill alarm, followed by a black screen with white font indicating that the weekly broadcast is required by law.

Of course it is. However, I don't recall ever seeing one in prime time, and I haven't seen on like this in at least 20 years--blacking out the entire screen, rather than running the Alert message as a crawl across the bottom of the screen.

It only lasted a minute, but the timing struck me as decidedly odd. If the World Series had been airing, would Fox have run the test?

[Bicoastal]

1. No worries...

...anyone watching FOX could have turned to a few other channels. :rofl:

[Orrex]

3. That's what I did, of course.

Still, it's a remarkable coincidence!

[NHDEMFORLIFE]

5. It's the fault of the cable provider

If it's Comcast, they are very pro GOP. Arlen Specter resides in their hip pocket.

[FemaleDemfromMass]

7. We have Comcast

and almost every night lately our sound gets messed up during Hard Ball. No other time or show, just that one.

[Orrex]

8. Comcast here as well

Who'd have thought that Comcast's integrity could ever be called into question?
:sarcasm:

[KamaAina]

14. At least they haven't kicked MSNBC up to digital -- yet

which they have done in other places.

[OmahaBlueDog]

2. Our cable provider has pulled that trick before

[The Shadow]

4. Nasty Fucking Repug Trick!

Probably some asshole McInsane supporter that works at the station(or the station's management). They did not have to run that test during primetime and they know it! How fucking petty can you be!

[Generator]

6. LOL!

Fox never stops with the innuendos and the propaganda do they! AND no I have never heard a test during prime time EVER=tv junkie here-they happen in the morning-or IF there is an amber alert. And just a coincidence it's in PA too! HA HA

[foo_bar]

9. FOX is FOS

On January 1, 1997, the new Emergency Alert System (EAS) replaced the old EBS for all broadcast stations--AM, FM, and TV.

This new system replaced the weekly "only a test" message with less obtrusive, weekly tests and shorter, monthly, on-air tests for television and radio stations. There are other important changes as well.

The EAS uses digital technology to distribute messages. This allows for many improvements in providing emergency information to the public.

The new system has a less obtrusive testing system -- radio stations are only required to transmit the digital codes, test script, attention signal, and TV stations must display a visual message once a month. The required weekly test only consists of the digital codes and should be less than 8 seconds in duration. EAS should be less likely to cause broadcast audiences to tune out the EBS because they assume it is "just a test".

http://www.pema.state.pa.us/pema/cwp/browse.asp?a=205&bc=0&c=35245

Monthly Test Schedule
A yearly test calendar and script content is developed by the State Emergency
Communications Committee and is posted on the PAB and PEMA Web Sites at
www.pab.org at www.pema.state.pa.us

http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:6Ya7GSiyPGAJ:www.pema.state.pa.us/pema/lib/pema/paeasplan/pa_eas_plan_-_v._appendices.pdf

SEPTEMBER 18 THU 11:05 A.M. DAY, EMnet
OCTOBER 16 THU 4:40 A.M. NIGHT, PPTN BACK UP
NOVEMBER 20 THU 11:25 A.M. DAY, EMnet

http://www.pab.org/pdfs/EAS2008.pdf ("PENNSYLVANIA EAS NETWORK REQUIRED MONTHLY TESTS") (none of the dates are prime time, or even in the afternoon)

[Orrex]

16. That's a great post--thanks for doing the research!

I wouldn't even have known how to get started.

:yourock:

[foo_bar]

17. check this out

The FCC fined KSHE $25,000 and said it was a "false distress signal" and an obvious violation of Section 325(a). The FCC was particularly disturbed by Ulett's use of the emergency broadcast tone to create the hoax.

http://books.google.com/books?id=i4egPXh4OoEC&pg=PA137

No person within the jursidiction of the United States shall knowingly utter or transmit, or cause to be uttered or transmitted, any false or fraudulent signals of distress, or communication relating thereto, <...>

http://www.fcc.gov/Reports/1934new.pdf

[NRaleighLiberal]

10. For FAUX , it IS an emergency! Truth and hope alert!

[stillcool]

12. Good point!

[blue neen]

11. You know what? That's disgusting.

I didn't realize this happened and will call Fox AND Comcast tomorrow. I'm getting pretty frickin' sick and tired of Comcast's little mindtwist tricks, like moving MSNBC right before the election to HD, not to mention the fact that they are raising rates as of December 1. It just might be time to go to a satellite dish.

[Snotcicles]

13. We are pulling comcast out as soon as we can make arrangements. nt

[uponit7771]

15. wow!!!!