Instead of us worrying about what Katie would do, let's look at what KC television would be like with out her wall-to-wall weather coverage.

You might think we would stumble into complete chaos.  Mobile homes flying this way and that.  People's heads crushed by yard missiles because they weren't reminded to strap on their bike helmets.  Oh the carnage.  We can't bear to think of it.  If only there were some kind of early warning system that could interrupt programming and tell people about emergencies and explain exactly what they should do to remain safe from the danger, something like the Emergency Broadcast System.

That's right, the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) that was created way, way back in 1963 for just this purpose.  You know, the one they interrupt our TV and radio programming to test every week.  You might be saying to yourself, "But FK, isn't the EBS for nuclear attacks and things like that?" and you'd be justified in doing so, but those of us that can remember pre-Katie also remember when our screens would turn green, beep at us, and a robotic sounding voice would tell us exactly where a tornado touched down and what to do.. i.e stop watching TV and take shelter.  You might even be shocked to find out, as we were, that in 1994 the EBS was upgraded and became the Emergency Alert System (AES).

It wasn't just a name change that occurred in '94, but a complete technology overhaul.  The EAS now not only has the capabilities to interrupt TV and radio programming for real emergencies, but it can pin point specific counties where emergencies are taking place and only interrupt programming in affected areas.  And get this, the EAS is administered by the FCC and... wait for it... the National Weather Service.  You know the guys that feed actual storm data to all the newsrooms in the city.  "NWS provides emergency weather information used to alert the public of dangerous conditions. Over seventy percent of all EAS and EBS activations were a result of natural disasters and were weather related. Linking NOAA Weather Radio digital signaling with the EAS digital signaling will help NWS save lives by reaching more people with timely, site-specific weather warnings."[1]

And what does the federal government have to say about the EAS? 

"EAS tests are shorter and less obtrusive to viewers and listeners. Therefore, when people do hear or see the EAS messages, they will take them more seriously."
- http://www.fcc.gov/eb/easfact.html

"They will take them more seriously."  Think about what they are saying.  The FCC recognizes that some people and stations like Katie Horner and KCTV 5 have tendencies to call out "the sky is falling," far too often causing people to turn off and tune out putting viewers in danger.

The EAS isn't the only possible solution to the public's growing complacencies as a result of this sensationalism.   Others have suggested KCTV 5 use their sister station, KSMO-TV 62 to put Katie's wall-to-wall coverage on and inform viewers on their CBS station they can flip over for more detailed weather coverage.   Other alternatives include using split screen technology like they do during election coverage to show both Katie's and the network's programming at the same time or utilizing the Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) to broadcast continual weather information and inform viewers they can listen in by pressing the SAP buttons on their remotes. Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star suggests local stations can simply reschedule programming at a decent a time and hour and provide their viewers with rescheduling information well in advance of the re-airing.

If KCTV 5 is willing to think outside the box, there are many possible solutions to the type of sensationalistic storm reporting coming from Katie Horner.  We only hope they 5 enact some of them before too many people tune out and someone gets hurt because they have grown tired of wolf cries.

Speak Out!

Sign the Petition

"Since KCTV 5 now owns the WB Channel 62 (or on my Time Warner Cable, channel 10) why couldn’t they just move “The Katie Horner Variety Show” over there, and put a blurb on KCTV telling people to go there if they want weather?" - ChrisM70