[Carriage Hill]

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

[cripplecreek]

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.

[prisoner6]

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.

[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!

[RandallFlagg]

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

[outofsalt]

The OFF button is the key.

[oh8eleven]

"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.

[Vinnie]

Preparing for the real emergency.

[Rapunzel]

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.

[lightman]

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”.

[US Navy Vet]

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

[Lady Lucky]

How much are you paying for this unsatisfactory service?

[SaraJohnson]

Winston, you are committing a thought crime here. Obamatelevision knows and is on their way. Did you also foul up on the Party’s ten minutes of hate Mr. Zimmerman? You probably did. :(

[BenLurkin]

Call and complain.

Jeopardy viewers have a LOT of clout!