Public radio plays a crucial role during natural disasters, maintaining service when power, cell service, and internet are down. Last fall, as Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, Blue Ridge Public Radio was instrumental in providing emergency alerts and local updates. They shared vital information on resources such as clean water and shelter facilities, reported on missing persons, corrected misinformation, and aired law enforcement briefings.
Blue Ridge Public Radio offers continuous news and emergency alert services to over 650,000 residents across 14 counties. This region is often described as a “news desert” due to limited broadband access, making public radio an essential source of information during severe weather events. Other public radio stations in eastern North Carolina, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area, and the Triangle also disseminate critical information to their audiences.
PBS North Carolina supports communication infrastructure for more than 40 federal, state, and local jurisdictions in the state. It provides livestreams of briefings from the Governor and the Emergency Operations Center.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson has taken legal action to defend this access to critical information. He filed an amicus brief with support from attorneys general from multiple states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Washington and Wisconsin.
