The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has awarded four public media outlets in Alaska, New York and Texas funding to improve emergency alerting.
The awards are through the first round of the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) grant program. Funded by FEMA, CPB was selected to administer the program to public television and public radio stations in 2022, with a budget of $96 million.
CPB has since awarded 13 grants from the $34 million in FY 2022 funding, which was allocated over two years.
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison said NGWS helps public media outlets “especially in rural areas” replace and upgrade their infrastructure. Harrison said equipment upgrades to distribute messages through the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and the Common Alerting Protocol are among the chief objectives of the campaign. Training for equipment upgrades is also available through the funding.
The latest four outlets to receive grants are:
- Unalaska Community Broadcasting’s KUCB(FM), serving the main population center of Unalaska, Alaska, in the Aleutian Island chain. It will receive up to $224,081 to install and upgrade EAS equipment as well as necessary resiliency equipment.
- South Texas Public Broadcasting System’s KEDT(FM/TV) and KVRT(FM) in the coastal region of South Texas. The network will receive up to $536,921, which includes funds to equip KEDT(TV) for the ATSC 3.0 standard. The grant will also ensure the network can continue to provide alerts during emergencies.
- Radio Catskill’s WJFF(FM) in the Catskill Mountain region of New York and adjacent Northeast Pennsylvania. The station will receive up to $135,439 to upgrade emergency alerting capabilities.
- North Country Public Radio and St. Lawrence University’s WSLU(FM), serving the northernmost region of upstate New York. It will receive up to $109,675 to expand its coverage into two previously unserved areas of the North Country. It also includes upgrades to critical broadcasting infrastructure.
“We continue developing the NGWS concept as we improve continuity and leverage new technologies, such as ATSC 3.0, that can reach the public wherever they are,” said newly-promoted IPAWS Director Manny Centeno.
Last month, CPB announced that a second round of NGWS grants is now open and available for eligible broadcast stations to receive federal money for technical improvements. Approximately $48 million in newly-allocated funds are at stake. The deadline to apply is Sept. 12.