First-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System

Officials at FEMA and at the Federal Communications Commission ordered the test which will air on every broadcast, cable and satellite TV station in the nation, as well as every AM, FM and satellite radio station...it will not be sent to landline or cell phones, pagers or computers.

There are concerns....Chief among them: cable television systems are worried the test will unduly alarm deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. That is because some cable systems, unlike broadcast and satellite TV, cannot superimpose a visual warning saying "This is a test" over the government's graphic. Instead, they will see only this scrolled message: "This is an Emergency Action Notification," which gives no visual indication it is just a test.