A couple of years ago in Spain, an Emergency Alerts System for the Population was put into operation, which went viral on social networks due to the loud alarm it was able to trigger on our phones when activated. This alert mechanism is not exclusive to Spain, and is present, in one way or another, in many other countries around the world like the United States, where authorities take care of it in such a way that they penalize those who make irresponsible use of it.
And that includes film and television studies like AMC, which had to pay up to $104,000 for airing their alarm in an episode of The Walking Dead. Specifically, the Federal Communications Commission scolded them for a moment that occurs at the beginning of the 10th episode of the ninth season, when we travel back to the beginnings of the zombie apocalypse in TWD and are shown the origin story of a key character at that point in the show.
“They are warnings that can help save lives”
Some might think that airing them in highly successful series and movies like the one in question helps to spread the sound and its meaning among the audience, however, authorities are concerned that the population may become insensitive to its emission, “causing life-saving warnings to be ignored“, either because the sound confuses them or because they are fed up with hearing it. That’s why it is preferred that the monopoly of its use be reserved for competent authorities, with hefty penalties for those who fail to comply.
“The unauthorized use of emergency alert tones undermines the system itself and poses a substantial threat to public safety. The underlying policy is not limited only to the potential confusion of the listener at the time of improper transmission of the emergency tones; likewise, the Commission warns that the use of simulated tones for unauthorized purposes -for commercial or entertainment purposes- can lead to a ‘cry wolf’ or ‘alert fatigue’ effect“. — FCC Statement
The Big Bang Theory prequel was also fined
And if you want another example, pay attention to what happened on Young Sheldon, the prequel to The Big Bang Theory. In an episode of the first season of the family comedy, the alert tone is played to warn of an incoming tornado, which led the Federal Communications Commission to “punish” them with a payment of $272,000. The Jimmy Kimmel Live! talk show also had to pay $395,000 for a similar situation in 2019.
The Walking Dead universe will return on October 3 with the second season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, with Melissa McBride returning to her iconic character as Carol Peletier accompanying Norman Reedus.
In 3DJuegos | Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker starred in a sci-fi movie intended for Arnold Schwarzenegger, Suburban Commando, which is worth forgetting
In 3DJuegos | The most controversial sci-fi movie of the year premieres in 7 days… and it seems to be an unparalleled failure for an absolute legend of the silver screen; Megalopolis
