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What’s the difference between the old Emergency Broadcast System and the Emergency Alert System
Introduction
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The Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), created in 1964 to warn the country of a national emergency such as nuclear attack, became the Emergency Alert Service (EAS) in 1997. The old EBS system relied on one primary radio station in each region to receive an emergency message and then broadcast it to the public and other media outlets. The new system, which also includes cable television, operates via computer and can be automatically and immediately broadcast to the public. It also allows additional local governmental agencies the opportunity to broadcast emergency messages. Future plans for the EAS include radios and televisions that will automatically turn on when an alert is announced.