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Smoky Hills PBS Receives Next Generation Warning System Grant

Smoky Hills PBS
Smoky Hills PBS

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has awarded a total of 30 grants to date through the first round of funding for the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) grant program, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

"Public media stations play a vital role in emergency alerting in communities across the country," said Patricia Harrison, President and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. "The Next Generation Warning System grant program helps public media organizations, especially in rural areas, to replace and upgrade their infrastructure so that they can continue to keep their communities safe."

The NGWS grant program, which prioritizes public media stations, provides funding for media organizations to upgrade their equipment and receive training to enhance alerting and warning capabilities, including the ability to use NextGen TV broadcast technology and comparable digital broadcast technology for radio stations.

"FEMA is committed to building resilience by rapidly disseminating emergency communications to the public through diverse integrated pathways," said FEMA IPAWS Director Manny Centeno. "FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) provides a suite of tools and resources for local authorities to effectively send emergency communications to the public. We continue developing the Next Generation Warning System concept as we improve continuity and leverage new technologies, such as ATSC 3.0, that can reach the public wherever they are."

Smoky Hills Public Television/KOOD-TV of Bunker Hill will receive up to $1,761,843 to update the main transmitter tower to ATSC 3.0 so that central and western Kansans will have access to enhanced emergency communications when the market transitions to the newest broadcast standard.

Last month, CPB received approximately 170 station applications totaling more than $109 million for the second round of NGWS funding. The total amount of NGWS grant funds available in round two is $48 million, approved by Congress in Fiscal Year 2023.

FEMA has awarded CPB a total of $136 million in FY 2022, FY 2023 and FY 2024-appropriated funds to establish and implement the NGWS grant program. CPB is administering a competitive grant program for public television and public radio stations to replace and upgrade infrastructure to expand alert, warning and interoperable communications, creating a more resilient and secure public alerting system. For more information, visit cpb.org/NGWS or email ngws@cpb.org.

CPB, a private, nonprofit corporation authorized by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit www.cpb.org and follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn and subscribe for email updates.

(Information courtesy SHPBS.)