Critical role of Broadcasting in Emergency

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Critical role of Broadcasting in Emergency
Disaster management
52nd Annual convention On Technology Terror
Role of ICT in War against Terror
Presentation by- S.N.Gupta, Chief
Engineer(WZ), AIR and Doordarshan, Mumbai
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Types of disasters/emergencies

• Natural disasters
• Earthquakes
• Cyclones
• Tsunami
• Floods
• Man made
• War
• Terrorism
• Riots and civil unrest
• Major accidents

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The disaster management cycle
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The Disaster Management Cycle

• Response includes actions taken to save lives
  and prevent property damage, and to preserve the
  environment during emergencies or disasters. The
  response phase is the implementation of action
  plans.
• Recovery includes actions that assist a
  community to return to a sense of normalcy after
  a disaster.
• Mitigation any activity that reduces either the
  chance of a hazard taking place or a hazard
  turning into disaster.
• Risk reduction anticipatory measures and actions
  that seek to avoid future risks as a result of a
  disaster.
• Prevention avoiding a disaster even at the
  eleventh hour.
• Preparedness plans or preparations made to save
  lives or property, and help the response and
  rescue service operations. This phase covers
  implementation/operation, early warning systems
  and capacity building so the population will
  react appropriately when an early warning is
  issued.

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Importance of communication during emergencies

• Everybody understands and accepts the importance
  of communication during natural and manmade
  calamities.
• Considering the fragility of communication links,
  it is strongly advisable to call upon and
  commission all types of wired/wireless
  communication systems.
• However, one should not forget the role of
  traditional non-electronic communication means.

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Possible modes of electronic communication

• Terrestrial sound and TV broadcasting
• Sound in MW, SW and FM bands by public service
  broadcaster
• FM bands by private operators and community radio
  stations
• TV broadcasting in VHF and UHF bands
• Satcom from geo stationary satellites
• Direct to Home
• World space, XM radio etc
• V Sat links
• Fixed and mobile communication (GSM and CDMA),
  SMS etc
• Internet, both wired and Wi-Fi, email etc
• HAM radio
• Other wireless communication used by agencies
  like police, armed forces, fire services etc
• Public address system

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Comparison of communication systems
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Conventional terrestrial sound broadcasting

• All studies, research on this matter
  overwhelmingly indicate that, radio is best
  medium on all such occasions.
• Radio adopts simple, time proven and inexpensive
  technology.
• Signal can be received on sets operating on
  battery, solar energy, hand cranking etc.
• Integrated with other communication equipments
  like mobile hand set, car radio etc
• Broadcasting on short wave is possible from a far
  away location from the affected site .

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Shortwave broadcasting

• The traditional radio broadcasting (since the
  days of Marconi) started in short wave (HF) band.
• Due to several technological reasons like
  multi-path propagation problems leading into
  fading, rise in man made noise, uncertainties of
  the behavior of the ionosphere, inevitable
  comparison with FM etc, SW broadcasting is fast
  fading into oblivion.
• However, latest development in the form of
  Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) which employs
  digital technology for modulation and coding is
  reviving listeners interest in SW broadcasting.
• DRM has the advantage of FM in terms of excellent
  sound quality and coverage in terms of SW.
  Hence, best of both the worlds!
• DRM is the future of terrestrial sound
  broadcasting delivering excellent sound quality
  along with automatic tuning, data services etc.

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Why sound broadcasting is so reliable and
effective

• AIR has wide coverage to the extent of 99.14 of
  the population and 91.79 of the geographical
  spread of India.
• It is estimated that there are more than 25 crore
  radio receivers in India.
• Normally public service broadcasters like AIR
  have well thought of contingency plans like power
  supply and other hardware which comes handy on
  such occasions.
• Well defined hierarchical setup sensitive to
  public cause.
• Sites are well located and easily accessible to
  all.
• Both operational and supervisory technical /
  content / news staff available and trained for
  24x7 operations.
• Time and again AIR and DDI have won kudos for
  their role during calamities like Bhuj earth
  -quake, Tsunami etc and proved its motto Bahu
  jana hitaya, bahu jana sukhaya

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Public service broadcasting during
Disaster/Emergencies

• The role of the State through public service
  broadcaster becomes critically important because
  it carries authentic information.
• Some of the private electronic media channels
  sensationalize the events which may adversely
  affect the public morale.
• Communication during such events should not only
  provide true and authentic information, but also
  ensure that such info will not lead to panicky
  situation and demoralize the public and security
  forces.
• Broadcasters should air interactive contents to
  uphold the public morale.
• Broadcast advice/instructions for the benefit of
  the affected population.

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Broadcasting and terrorism

• One should understand that the main objective of
  the terrorists is to get publicity for their
  nefarious acts. Hence, broadcasters should be
  cautious and restrain themselves on such matters.
• Should not sensationalise or glorify the
  incidents to create panic and demoralise the
  public.
• Radio and TV broadcast are important inputs to
  establish a sympathetic and support element of
  public opinion to fight terrorism effectively.
• Broadcasters ought to realise that their freedom
  is conditional upon the larger freedom of the
  society in which they exist. When the larger
  freedom is destroyed, their freedom will also
  disappear along with it.

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Emerging delivery systems during
disasters/emergencies
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Emerging delivery systems

• AIR has tested Emergency Warning Broadcast system
  (EWBS) for use during emergencies.
• NHK of Japan uses EWS (Emergency warning system)
  a remotely activated proprietary system for
  broadcasting alerts on disasters.
• The EBS is set up in US to provide the President
  with an expeditious method of communicating with
  the American public in the event of war, threat
  of war, or grave national crisis.
• In addition to sound channel, DRM can also carry
  data. This resource can be exploited for
  carrying EWBS signals with added advantage of
  wide coverage of short wave bands.
• RDS, paging, DARC, FM eXtra technologies can be
  explored for broadcasting data/additional channel
  of audio along with analog FM audio.
• WorldSpace technology and CRS can also be
  utilised for effective delivery.
• Data channel can be very effectively used by
  setting up an exclusive communication network by
  Government of Indias National Disaster
  Management Authority (NDMA) for their National
  Disaster Communication Network (NDCA).

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Emergency warning broadcast system
Emergency/ Police Control Room
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EWBS-How it works ?

• The control signal is generated from a generator
  or played from a CD player.
• Signal reaches the transmitter through a switch.
  (Switch is used to switch between the warning
  signal and normal content)
• The system remotely activates the
  service-compatible receivers. (Radio, TV or
  hand held device).
• Activates receiver even if it is in sleep mode.
• First the alarm sounds, then the message
  follows.

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EWBS-Block schematic
Analog EWBS Transmission Reception
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EWBS- Advantages
Advantages of Broadcasting with MW FM
Transmitters.

• Research Dept. of AIR DDI tested EWBS on MW/FM
  transmitters in Delhi.
• Cost effective in the rescue measures
• MW Radio transmission reaches deep into the sea.
• System uses relatively simple equipments and
  ensures stable operation
• Quickly activates many receivers simultaneously.

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• DARC Data Radio Channel is a sub-carrier, which
  is part of the FM Broadcast band.
• Using DARC sub-carrier (76 kHz), data can be
  broadcast.
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• DARC is generally used for broadcasting longer
  text messages, traffic management systems, and
  any other real-time information services useful
  to general public.
• DARC can also be used to broadcast display
  information to electronic billboards spread
  across the city.

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FMeXtra data broadcast technology
SCA signal
SCA Input
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Spectrum of FM stereo for data broadcasting
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FMeXtra applications

• This technology is being examined by Prasar
  Bharati for introducing data services on their FM
  transmitters.
• NDMA is also examining utilising this technology
  for early warning systems.

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Community radio stations

• GOI has permitted the setting up of CRS by
  educational institutions and NGOs for the purpose
  of broadcasting exclusive community- related
  services.
• They are licensed to broadcast content (other
  than news and current affairs) for the benefit of
  the target community.
• Authorized to operate in FM band with a power of
  50W from an antenna mounted at a height of 100,
  thus providing an effective coverage of
  approximately 5-10 km. radius.
• CR can be extremely effective in such
  eventualities considering the basic character of
  CRS which is a voluntary community effort.

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WorldSpace Digital Satellite Technology
Coverage area of the WorldSpace AfriStar and
AsiaStar satellites Each satellite has three
beams with a coverage area of 14 million square
kilometers per beam. This area includes more than
4 billion people of world's population.
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WorldSpace Digital Satellite Technology

• WorldSpace uses satellites for broadcasting
  digital audio multimedia with the help of its
  two satellites serving Africa, Middle East,
  Europe and Asia.
• Serving the needs of various communities.
  WorldSpace delivers digital content to multiple
  locations.
• Digital technology provides WorldSpace system
  with versatility far beyond traditional
  terrestrial radio ,delivering text, data, imaging
  and streaming video.
• WorldSpace is independent of any terrestrial
  infrastructure. Hence, it can be deployed and
  sustained in the most remote locations even after
  disaster strikes.

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AREA A WorldSpace Solution

• The alert service proposed by WorldSpace allows
  to offer administrations an effective tool for
  immediate reach of the populations and local
  authorities and independent from local
  terrestrial infrastructure. It can be used in
  several domains.

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Conclusions

• Several technologies are available for effective
  communication during disaster management.
• Depending on the situation and availability, the
  appropriate technology can be deployed.
• NDMA can consider all these resources for
  establishing effective communication under NDCN.
• Perhaps what is more important than the
  technology itself is how well we have planned and
  are prepared for facing the disasters.
• ICT is only a tool and it should not be treated
  as a panacea for all issues.

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• Thank You