Radio Catskill has been awarded funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to upgrade equipment to provide enhanced emergency alerting. CPB has awarded 13 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). 

Radio Catskill joins public media stations Unalaska Community Broadcasting in Alaska, South Texas Public Broadcasting System, and North Country Public Radio (New York State) in this latest round of funding. 

“Public media stations have long played 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, replace and upgrade their infrastructure so that they can continue to keep their communities safe.” 

Radio Catskill General Manager Tim Bruno said, “Ultimately, we are a public service. This grant is crucial to our ability to maintain consistency and reliability in our signal for our communities in The Catskills and Northeast Pennsylvania when they need it most.”

Last month, CPB launched a Request for Applications (RFA) portal on the CPB website for a second round of funding for the NGWS grant program. 

The total amount of NGWS grant funds available in this round is $48 million, approved in Fiscal Year 2023.

In 2022, FEMA selected CPB to establish and administer the NGWS grant program to help public media stations across the country create a more resilient and secure public alerting system. 

The program funds public media stations 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. 

The program prioritizes public media stations serving rural, Tribal, and underserved communities.

“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.”

Here are the latest stations to receive NGWS grants:

Unalaska Community Broadcasting/KUCB-FM, Unalaska, Alaska, up to $224,081 to install and upgrade emergency alert system equipment and add needed resiliency equipment.

South Texas Public Broadcasting System/KEDT-TV/FM & KVRT-FM, Corpus Christi and Rancho Viejo, Texas, up to $536,921, to replace equipment to increase transmission reliability and prepare KEDT for ATSC 3.0 broadcast capabilities. The upgrades to the TV and radio transmissions will ensure that KEDT can provide critical news and information to the coastal region in South Texas during emergencies.

Radio Catskill/WJFF-FM, Liberty, NY, up to $135,439 to replace critical broadcasting infrastructure to ensure emergency alerts can be sent to rural and underserved communities.

North Country Public Radio/St. Lawrence University/WSLU-FM, Canton, NY, up to $109,675, to expand coverage into two currently unserved portions of northern New York and replace and upgrade critical broadcasting infrastructure to ensure emergency alerts can be sent to rural and underserved communities.

They join Alabama Public Television, Alamo Public Telecommunications Council (KLRN-TV, San Antonio, TX), Bethel Broadcasting (KYUK/TV-AM-FM, Bethel, Alaska), Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Indian River State College (WQCS, WQCP, and WQJS, FL), Delta College Public Media (WDCQ, MI), Community Radio Project (KZET-FM, KSJD-FM, and KICO-FM, Four Corners region), KSTK Stikine River Radio (CoastAlaska) and Silakkuagvik Communications Inc. (KBRW, AK), which have also received grants from the $34 million in FY 2022 funding that CPB is awarding over two years.