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New Weather Alerts on TV

Posted on 05/18/2012 3:45:12 AM PDT by REPANDPROUDOFIT

Our local Comcast now interrupts programming for a severe weather alert. They not only interrupt what you are watching, they change the channel AND disable your remote control so that you can't switch to anything else.

This has happened three times this week. My husband and I were watching one show, when a beeping sound let us know that a weather alert had been issued. A "severe thunderstorm alert" began to scrawl at the top of the page. THEN, the tv channel changed to WGN, without either of us touching anything. All of a sudden, instead of watching Jeopardy, we were watching America's Funniest Home Videos (which isn't funny!) on WGN. The sound on WGN was totally muted, except for the emergency broadcast. It beeped and scrolled for a couple of minutes, then a lady came on and read the alert to us. You still could not hear the tv program. It stayed that way for about four minutes. We kept trying to change back to Jeopardy, but could not do anything with our remote except adjust the volume. By the way, the alert was for a severe thunderstorm located three counties away, 86 miles from us. There was absolutely no danger to our area!

There is another strange part of this. Those alerts used to say "The National Weather Service has issued a warning .......". Now it says, "An EAS Participant has spotted a severe thunderstorm ......". What the heck is that about? I certainly felt more "concerned" when an alert was issued by the NWS! This is all part of the Obama/FEMA - designed alert system that went into affect this year. I guess a severe thunderstorm three counties away is worthy of the emergency broadcast system. We live in Florida. Can you imagine how many times our tv channeling will be interrupted each day, each month?


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; TV/Movies; Weather
KEYWORDS: emergencyalert
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1 posted on 05/18/2012 3:45:14 AM PDT by REPANDPROUDOFIT
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT; lightman; SF_Redux

I hate CommieCast! No other choice here; not even stone-age dial-up.


2 posted on 05/18/2012 3:48:44 AM PDT by Carriage Hill (All liberals & most demoncraps think that life is just a sponge bath, with a happy ending.)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT
They not only interrupt what you are watching, they change the channel AND disable your remote control so that you can't switch to anything else.

I don't get them for weather alerts but we do have Emergency Broadcast System tests daily now. They switch my TV to TBS for a few seconds.
3 posted on 05/18/2012 3:54:17 AM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT
EAS = Emergency Alert System and replaced the old Emergency Broadcast system years ago. It's not exactly centrally controlled but the idea is that it's pretty much an automated system. That way you aren't depending on some teenage radio board monkey to relay warnings.
4 posted on 05/18/2012 4:01:19 AM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts bolt the Constitution togbtether as the loose screws of the Left fall out!)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT
Obviously, the old weather alert system, where they overtook a third of the screen, was not enough! Now, they have to direct you to their "station of choice" and make you stay there till they decide you can go back to your regular programming.

One very interesting thing to me is - the "station of choice" just happens to be WGN / Chicago. Instead of watching our channels of choice (along with their commercials) half the state of Florida was watching WGN (including their commercials)! We did not see a full series of commercials shown during the Jeopardy program, while we were able to see the commercials on WGN! Why are the networks putting up with this?

Here is a link to the Wikipedia page defining the EAS alert system. It says nothing about confiscating control of your television.

I can understand the need for a system that would allow a president to address the nation in a real emergency, say a nuclear attack or cyber attack. But, severe thunderstorms, no!

5 posted on 05/18/2012 4:09:25 AM PDT by REPANDPROUDOFIT (General, Sir, I don't mind at all if you call me "Ma'am"!)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

The more threads like these I see, the more glad I am that I stopped watching television.


6 posted on 05/18/2012 4:15:59 AM PDT by RandallFlagg (Look for the union label, then buy elsewhere.)
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To: cripplecreek
I understand the interruptions. Heck, they're a daily occurrence in Florida in the summer! I don 't like the channel-changing thingy, but I'll put up with it if I have to.

BUT, disabling the remote control and removing my ability to make an adult decision about changing the channel is going too far!

Why should I lose tv coverage for four minutes because of a storm that in no way threatens my part of the state?

7 posted on 05/18/2012 4:19:42 AM PDT by REPANDPROUDOFIT (General, Sir, I don't mind at all if you call me "Ma'am"!)
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To: carriage_hill

I have suddenlink.

They do the same thing, And it may not even be a weather alert.

Station just changes.


8 posted on 05/18/2012 4:20:08 AM PDT by Freddd (No PA Engineers)
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Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

The OFF button is the key.


10 posted on 05/18/2012 4:29:32 AM PDT by outofsalt ("If History teaches us anything it's that history rarely teaches us anything")
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT
"There is nothing wrong with your television set.
Do not attempt to adjust the picture.
We are controlling transmission...."


Next time your TV gets hijacked, try turning the system (TV and cable box) off and then back on again.
11 posted on 05/18/2012 4:30:53 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: outofsalt

People still watch television ? WOW


12 posted on 05/18/2012 4:33:07 AM PDT by maine yankee (I got my Governor at 'Marden's')
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

Preparing for the real emergency.


13 posted on 05/18/2012 4:38:40 AM PDT by Vinnie (A)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT
Why should I lose tv coverage for four minutes because of a storm that in no way threatens my part of the state?

Our 'local' stations cover about a 200 mile radius. Thus, we have a similar situation when storms pop up. At any sign of rotation, they tend to break into programming.

That is a good reason to have alternatives: DVD player and/or ROKU for Netflix and/or media player for downloaded video formats.

Sometimes, we have the opposite problem -- a small storm will pop up, show signs of tornadic activity, but the 'local' TV stations do NOT interrupt unless/until such storms become a threat to more populated city areas.

Weekend storms are problems, as the 'local' weather people seem to be trainees and apprentices. It usually takes the stations 30 minutes or more for the stations to broadcast 'real' weather information. Many of this small pop up storms can do significant damage in that 30-minute gap.

Many times, I have watched/tracked localized storms via the Internet, before the 'local' TV finally gets their weather people on air.
14 posted on 05/18/2012 4:47:43 AM PDT by TomGuy
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To: maine yankee

I consider the internet a variant of television. Much more than traditional tv for sure but you are still sitting in front of a screen and viewing it.


15 posted on 05/18/2012 5:03:22 AM PDT by xp38
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

Similar thing happened to us on Tuesday evening. Was watching the big bang theory on WRBW when a weather alert popped up scrolling across the screen THEN the woman’s voice read it to us while the program was muted. Weather alert was 100 miles away. Later that night was watching WTBS when another weather alert popped up scrolling across the screen but instead of the woman’s voice the channel stayed but a I
n progress basketball game interrupted programming for about five minutes before regular show reappeared. My thought was an inexperienced person hit wrong buttons for weather alert. Weird. Brighthouse is our provider.


16 posted on 05/18/2012 5:35:15 AM PDT by Rapunzel (Run SARAH run)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

The Joplin MO tornado last season brought about a lot of changes with when warnings are issued and how they are to be sent to the public.

The loss of life last tornado season was very 19th century...inexcusable.

People have been ignoring warnings because so many had been issued just based on a radar signature...kind of like the boy who cried “wolf”.


17 posted on 05/18/2012 6:09:46 AM PDT by lightman (Adjutorium nostrum (+) in nomine Domini--nevertheless, Vote Santorum!)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

Cox Communications does that same thing. I am sure it is part of a Federal Mandate somewhere.


18 posted on 05/18/2012 6:10:22 AM PDT by US Navy Vet (Go Packers! Go Rockies! Go Boston Bruins! See, I'm "Diverse"!)
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To: TomGuy
Please note, it is not the alerts that irritate me. I am in full agreement with letting someone know that a tornado is headed at them. It is the inability to change the channel that really bugs me. It is intrusive and insulting! When my channel is changed, I am perfectly capable of deciding if the "emergency" applies to my area. If it doesn't, I should have the capability of changing the channel back to the program I was watching.

Also, this IS NOT the old-fashioned interruption of the program I am watching. Now, the channel changes automatically to WGN. You can only watch that channel till they decide the alert should end. Our remote control is totally disabled. That is what I object to!

19 posted on 05/18/2012 6:12:38 AM PDT by REPANDPROUDOFIT
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

How much are you paying for this unsatisfactory service?


20 posted on 05/18/2012 6:15:02 AM PDT by Lady Lucky (Non-compliant, not govt-issued, and not voting for Romney.)
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