Never let facts get in the way of a good meme!
As I have been telling libs every time they post a new rant about it on my FB page, this is not a new alert system. The Wireless Emergency Alerts system (including Presidential alerts) was established in 2008 under the Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN) Act and became operational in 2012.
The only thing that is happening now is that after six years of operation, FEMA is finally getting around to testing the Presidential alert. If you are going to have an alert system, it is probably a good idea to check and see if it actually works.
They started talking about this back in the 70’s when a false alert went out over the old Emergency Broadcast System. At that time broadcast stations received a teletype message and handled the broadcast announcement locally. When the false alarm went out 90% of the stations receiving it presumed it was a mistake and did not air it.
Obviously that would be a problem if the alert were real. Hence the urge to take direct control and broadcast announcements from a single source.