MEDIA COUNCIL SEEKING ‘BEST PRACTICES’ FOR CRISIS SITUATIONS
FCC’s Media Security & Reliability Council (MSRC) will focus on “preventive best practices” to avoid loss of media in crisis, as well as ways to restore media after crisis such as hit N.Y.C. broadcasters Sept. 11, said Susan Mort, deputy Designated Federal Official for council (CD March 29 p6). Group’s first CEO-level meeting is set for 10 a.m.-noon May 17 at FCC hq.
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There was “no lack of cooperation” among broadcasters, cable and DBS Sept. 11, said Barbara Kreisman, chief of Media Bureau Video Services Div. Outsiders have suggested that creating atmosphere of cooperation could be one of goals of MSRC. Kreisman said council itself would decide goals, beginning with first meeting. Council ultimately is to provide recommendations to FCC and to industries on ways to assure availability of media to public in crisis, she said.
Group’s charter suggests council will look for ways to provide “optimum reliability” of all broadcast and multichannel media under “all reasonably foreseeable circumstances.” Recommendations would deal with both assuring maximum availability of media in crisis and assuring most rapid restart of media lost during that period, charter says. Council is expected to set up undetermined number of working groups to study such things as how to achieve redundancy, including determining what alternatives are available for lost facilities. Obvious alternatives could include such things as backup transmitter facilities and direct links between broadcasters and cable and DBS systems, but Kreisman said group would be looking for others as well.
Council is also expected to develop form of “best practices” for media groups, following interchange among participants. “Each of the groups has their own security personnel who have been studying this,” Kreisman said. “We expect they will exchange ideas. Several minds are better than one.” At least some additional MSRC members have agreed to participate, Kreisman indicated, but no announcement is likely immediately.