AWARN Alliance to Highlight Hybrid OTA-Broadband Warnings at NAB Show

LAS VEGAS — The Advanced Warning and Response Network (AWARN) Alliance today announced it will feature ATSC 3.0 advanced alerting with hybrid OTA-broadband solutions at the 2018 NAB Show, April 7–12.

The alliance will also highlight steps to take advanced alerting worldwide. On Monday, April 9, the AWARN Alliance, NAB and RAPA, the Korea Radio Promotion Association, will sign a memorandum of understanding during a ceremony at the show to promote future joint development of advanced alerting based on ATSC 3.0.

“From the beginning, U.S. and South Korean companies have supported AWARN, starting with LG,” AWARN Executive Director John Lawson said. Aircode and DigiCap have since joined the alliance. “Along with NAB, we’re honored to be engaging with our colleagues at RAPA for continued co-development of Next Gen TV, including a joint global initiative for ATSC 3.0 advanced alerting,” Lawson said.

[Read: ATSC 3.0: A New Value-Added Approach for Emergency Information]

Lawson also hailed the decision of The Weather Company, an IBM Business, to join the alliance and bring its expertise in severe weather alerting and geo-targeting.

“Increasingly, the alliance is providing the nexus between the Next Gen TV development community and the nation’s emergency managers,” said Lawson. “Our goal is not only to create the architecture for delivering geo-targeted advanced alerts, but also design rich media and accessible messages that lead to life-saving action by the public.”

The alliance will also demonstrate interactive hybrid AMBER Alerts and HazMat alerts at the NAB Show, taking advantage of the IP nature of the 3.0 standard. AWARN alerts are being designed for delivery over-the-air, and if ATSC 3.0-enabled smart TVs or mobile devices are connected to the internet, new capabilities like social media integration and interactive maps are now possible, the AWARN Alliance said.

For more information visit the AWARN Alliance website or stop by the AWARN Alliance booth at the NAB Show: N1739FP.

For a comprehensive list of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see our ATSC3 silo.

Phil Kurz

Phil Kurz is a contributing editor to TV Tech. He has written about TV and video technology for more than 30 years and served as editor of three leading industry magazines. He earned a Bachelor of Journalism and a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.