"War of the Worlds" on Wednesday

[bananas]

I just heard on the tv news that, for the first, there will be a test of the emergency broadcast system without saying that it's only a test.
This might have the same effect as the "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast, where people thought it was real.

[arcane1]

1. There are already paranoid right-winger emails about it

The only reason I knew this was happening was thanks to a DU post a week ago about this very thing.

[WCGreen]

2. I've seen the warning a couple of times on the cable so far....

[bananas]

3. This is the first i heard of it and I think it's a really bad idea

It's like crying wolf, in the future people will assume it's only a test when there's a real alert.

[arcane1]

5. Here's where I first heard about it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=439&topic_id=2167716

When I was a kid, in broadcast-only days, they had these all the time. But back then all we had was tv and radio. I'm not sure how this test differs but I'm not too worries about it. They test the emergency doors and p.a. system in my apartment building every three months.

[leeroysphitz]

4. I, for one, intend to panic either way...

[The Straight Story]

6. There is a whole manual for this, and it has been known for some time

http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/emergency-alert-system-nationwide-test

[WolverineDG]

7. Got an email from Time Warner about it

apparently, it will even cut into stuff being watched On Demand.

dg

[The Straight Story]

8. And just for fun, the original war of the worlds broadcast is here:

http://www.mercurytheatre.info/

:) Love listening to it