Testimony of Barry Fisher at Hearing on Emergency Management WASHINGTON, DC -- Maranatha Broadcasting Companys WFMZ-TV (Allentown, Pa.) President and General Manager Barry Fisher testified today before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management at a hearing on FEMA Reauthorization: Ensuring the Nation is Prepared.
Below is a transcript of his testimony as prepared for delivery.
* * *
Good morning Chairman Barletta, Ranking Member Carson and members of the subcommittee. My name is Barry Fisher and I am the president and general manager of WFMZ-TV, an independent television station in Allentown, Pennsylvania. We are a community-oriented local broadcaster with 83 live newscasts each week and a 24-hour digital weather channel. I am here today representing the National Association of Broadcasters.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today about emergency communications and the valuable, often life-saving services that local broadcasters provide during emergencies.
When the power goes out, when phone service is limited and the Internet goes down, broadcasters are always there and are always on the air.
Broadcasters are first informers. We are the go-to source for vital information before, during, and after an emergency.
Id like to show you a brief video clip that underscores the critical service broadcasters provide. Video: Broadcasters role during Superstorm Sandy
During Hurricane Sandy, WFMZ provided around the clock coverage to our viewers, to keep them informed. We knew there would be wide spread power and communications outages, so we began alerting the public about what areas would be hit and what essentials were needed to stay safe. We also encouraged our viewers to buy battery operated televisions in case they lost power. In one of the counties in our viewing area, an estimated 67 percent of the county was without power, but we stayed on the air keeping viewers abreast of what was happening. We worked closely with local radio stations to simulcast our newscast to reach people without battery-operated televisions. This type of cooperation among broadcasters is common during times of emergency.
I am proud of our stations performance during Hurricane Sandy, as well as all broadcasters in the storm zone.
We are also proud to be the backbone of the Emergency Alert System.
The EAS is a national public warning network that connects public safety authorities to the public through over-the-air broadcast stations with the simple push of a button. We consider the delivery of timely alerts and warnings to be the most important use of our spectrum and an indispensable service to the public.
The EAS is also used for AMBER Alert system, which was created by broadcasters and local law enforcement in 1996. To date, AMBER Alerts have aided in the successful recovery of 656 abducted children across the United States.
Broadcasters have made investments to their internet and social media sites, some of the most viewed content on the web.
When the public receives an email, a text alert or a social media message from a local broadcaster, they know its accurate and from an authoritative source. In fact, even Wireless Emergency Alerts received on your mobile phone direct you to your local media for more information.
In November 2011, FEMA and the FCC conducted the first-ever nationwide EAS test. Broadcasters across the U.S. participated.
The test served its purpose - to diagnose problems in the system which are now being addressed. This is precisely why NAB fully supports testing the EAS on a regular basis.
The continued success of the EAS depends on a few important factors.
First, state and local safety officials should receive ongoing training to properly use and protect the integrity of the EAS. Broadcasters stand ready to deliver the message, but first we need someone to deliver it to us. We strongly urge the committee to incorporate training into any legislation considered.
Second, we ask the Committee to create a National Advisory Committee on Emergency Alerting. This committee would bring all stakeholders together, to ensure continual improvements to the system.
I am grateful for this opportunity to share my views on the indispensable role broadcasters play in communicating emergency information to the public. We look forward to working with you toward our shared goal of keeping the American people safe through timely alerts and warnings. Thank you.
* * *
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
Testimony of Barry Fisher at Hearing on Emergency Management WASHINGTON, DC -- Maranatha Broadcasting Companys WFMZ-TV (Allentown, Pa.) President and General Manager Barry Fisher testified today before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management at a hearing on FEMA Reauthorization: Ensuring the Nation is Prepared.
