WASHINGTON, DC – NAB announced today that radio and television stations are significantly more prepared to respond to disasters than was the case three years ago. An internal survey conducted between February 21 and March 3, 2006 assessed the current state of emergency preparedness of local radio and television stations.
"Based on our survey, we estimate there are now over 800 television stations and more than 6,000 radio stations with a written disaster recovery plan," said NAB Vice President of Research and Planning David Gunzerath. "That represents more than a 50 percent increase in the number of television stations who reported having such plans in 2003. Over the same period of time, the number of radio stations with such plans has more than tripled."
"Local radio and television broadcasters are uniquely positioned to disseminate vital, often life-saving, information during times of crises," said NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr. "Never was that more apparent than this past year, when broadcasters went to extraordinary lengths to stay on the air before, during and after Hurricane Katrina. It is a role broadcasters take seriously and strive to fulfill every day in communities across America."
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association that advocates on behalf of more than 8,300 free, local radio and television stations and also broadcast networks before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Courts. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.
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