An Open Letter to FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai

Dear Commissioner Pai:
A major theme of President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign was “to make America safe again,” and a fundamental component of keeping the public out of harm’s way is delivery of timely emergency communications that blanket a city, region or even the entire nation to warn of impending danger. Traditionally, television and radio broadcasters have played critical roles in disseminating lifesaving information, warning those in the path of tornados to take shelter, avoid certain areas during flash flooding or whether to evacuate their homes and businesses as hurricanes bear down on coastal regions. ATSC 3.0, the next-generation television standard that awaits rulemaking, offers never-before-available capabilities to serve the public’s interest in times of emergency.