Empowering Communities: Public Media Stations Receive Vital Funding for Emergency Alerting Upgrades

In a significant move to bolster emergency preparedness, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has awarded a total of up to $1.7 million in grants to five public media stations across Hawaii, Kentucky, Missouri, and South Dakota. These funds will enable these stations to upgrade their equipment, enhancing their ability to provide critical emergency alerts to their communities.

Strengthening the Resilience of Public Media's Emergency Response

Upgrading Transmitters and Infrastructure for Enhanced Alerting

The grants will allow KMEB-10 on Maui, a repeater of PBS Member KHET-11 in Honolulu, to replace a 15-year-old transmitter, ensuring the station can continue to effectively disseminate emergency information. In Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University's WEKU-FM in Richmond and Murray State University's WKMS-FM in Murray will upgrade and replace aging infrastructure to ensure their emergency alert capabilities remain robust. Missouri State University's KOZK-TV and KSMU-FM in Springfield will also benefit from the funding, which will enable them to replace broadcasting equipment and expand KSMU-FM's reach by enabling the station to broadcast in both analog and HD radio. This will significantly enhance their ability to reach a wider audience with vital emergency communications.

Empowering Tribal Stations to Safeguard their Communities

The Rosebud Sioux Tribe's KOYA-FM in Rosebud, South Dakota, will receive up to $481,003 to replace and upgrade its infrastructure. This will ensure that emergency alerts can be seamlessly transmitted from local, tribal, regional, and federal agencies, strengthening the station's role as a vital link in the emergency response network for the Rosebud Sioux community.

Securing the Future of Public Media's Emergency Alerting

The funding for these public media stations is part of a larger initiative by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. FEMA has awarded CPB a total of $136 million in funds over the next three fiscal years to establish and implement the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) grant program.This competitive grant program is designed to help public television and radio stations across the country replace and upgrade their infrastructure, enabling them to expand their alert, warning, and interoperable communications capabilities. The goal is to create a more resilient and secure public alerting system that can effectively serve communities in times of crisis.

Empowering Public Media's Role in Emergency Preparedness

"Public media stations play a vital role in emergency alerting in communities across the country," said CPB President/CEO Patricia Harrison. "The Next Generation Warning System grant program helps public media organizations, especially in rural areas, to replace and upgrade their infrastructure so that they can continue to keep their communities safe."This investment in public media's emergency alerting capabilities is a testament to the crucial role these stations play in safeguarding their communities. By upgrading their equipment and infrastructure, these stations will be better equipped to disseminate timely and accurate emergency information, ensuring that residents have the resources they need to stay informed and prepared in the face of natural disasters or other crises.As the nation continues to grapple with the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, the importance of a robust and resilient public media system cannot be overstated. The funding provided by the NGWS grant program will empower these stations to fulfill their mission of serving their communities, strengthening the overall emergency response network and enhancing the safety and well-being of all who rely on their vital services.