Every day of every year, radio and television stations make substantial public service contributions to their local communities - contributions that have great value and impact. Whether raising money for local charities, contributing airtime for public service announcements, keeping communities connected in times of crisis and disaster or engaging in other extraordinary activities, broadcasters are improving the quality of life in their local communities.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) National Report on Broadcasters' Community Service, and www.broadcastpublicservice.org, highlight real examples of stations' public service and disaster relief efforts, along with state and national statistics quantifying the value of these initiatives.
NAB supports the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), which represents more than 800 commercial and non-commercial television stations. The OMVC is working to bring broadcast DTV service to mobile and handheld devices and develop a technical standard for mobile DTV reception, which could greatly increase the ability of stations to immediately reach citizens in times of crisis.
By 2012, there will be approximately 130 million phones and 25 million media players able to receive mobile DTV signals. This technology would enable broadcasters to deliver emergency weather alerts and other important information straight to consumers' fingertips. Imagine the power of an AMBER Alert delivered directly into cell phones or vehicles, or the lifesaving potential of weather radar systems broadcast into automobiles when hurricane or tornado warnings are issued. NAB and the OMVC are leading broadcasters into the future, and the possibilities of the digital era are endless.