URGENT ACTION ALERT:  FCC Emergency Information Access Complaints
LAST CALL:  2003 Blue Book Listing Deadline Approaching

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URGENT ACTION ALERT:  FCC Emergency Information Access Complaints

Hurricane season is here.  As Isidore is churning through the Gulf States,
thousands of citizens are affected.  People rely on television for advice on
how and when to evacuate, emergency shelters, and aid during the aftermath
of the storm.

On April 14, 2000, the FCC released an order adopting a rule, requiring that
emergency information that is provided to viewers be made accessible to
persons with hearing disabilities.  Such information may be made accessible
either through closed captioning or by using a method of visual
presentation.  Emergency information is defined as information, about a
current emergency, that is intended to further the protection of life,
health, safety, and property, i.e., critical details regarding the emergency
and how to respond to the emergency.  An emergency can be natural such as
hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires; or manmade such as nuclear,
chemical or other types of severe accidents, or acts of terrorism.

For the full text of this ruling, go to
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Public_Notices/2000/da001996.txt.

Since the original ruling, the FCC has issued two reminders to broadcasters,
one on 8/13/01 and again on 7/31/02.  You can find those rulings at
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/caption.html.

One thing you should know...  Captioning is listed as one possible method of
portraying information visually.  Stations are allowed to use crawling text
and/or graphics in place of captioning, as long as the critical information
is accessible as presented.  For more information, the FCC has a Fact Sheet
at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/emergencyvideo.html.

A related Fact Sheet on "Communicating During Emergencies" is at
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/emergencies.html.  It deals with
various 911 issues and other information that helps you understand how the
network copes with unusual strain during emergencies.

If you had experienced a disaster recently AND your local television station
did not make their emergency bulletins accessible to you (either with
captions or through crawling text and/or graphics), PLEASE PLEASE file a
complaint with the FCC.  The important thing to keep in mind is not the
grammar, but you must include as much specific information as you can.
Remember, even if you did not experience any hurricanes, but you did
experience a different type of emergency, please read on. The following
information is from the FCC website. (Parentheses supplied).

Filing a Complaint with the FCC Is EASY.  You can file conveniently:

- Electronically:  If you have a telephone complaint, you can file on line
through our Internet site at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html.

- E-Mail:  You can send us a complaint through fccinfo@fcc.gov

- Mail:  Written complaints can be sent to:

   Federal Communications Commission
   Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
   Consumer Complaints
   445 12th Street, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20554

- Fax:  Complaints can be faxed to us at: 202-418-0232

- Phone:  Toll Free: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice, 1-888-TELL- FCC
(1-888-835-5322) TTY. Our Consumer and Mediation Specialists are available
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET

We need the following information:
- Your name, address and the telephone number or numbers involved with your
complaint; (if telephone related)
- A telephone number (or email address) where you can be reached during the
business day;
- Specific information about your complaint, including the names of all
companies (television station, channel, time and date of alleged violations)
involved with your complaint;
- (If available,) Names and telephone numbers of the company representatives
that you contacted, the dates that you spoke with these representatives, and
any other information that would help process your complaint;
- What type of resolution are you seeking?

For more detailed information on filing a complaint, see the FCC fact sheet
at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/howtofile.html.

Also, please send a copy of your emergency captioning complaints to TDI at
info@tdi-online.org.

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LAST CALL - 2003 Blue Book Listing Deadline Approaching

The deadline for listing updates and corrections in the 2003 Blue Book is
October 1, 2002.  The 2003 Blue Book is scheduled to be printed and ready
for mailing by the end of January, 2003.

If the information in your listing has changed in the past year, now is the
time to notify TDI of your new contact information.  If you have already
informed us, there is no need to do it again.  Send your updates to
jimhouse@tdi-online.org.

Reserve your copy of the 2003 Blue Book now!  Go to www.tdi-online.org and
click on HOW TO JOIN.

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If you have any questions about this e-note or about TDI, contact us at
info@tdi-online.org.