When April’s deadly tornadoes touched down in the Birmingham area, citizens turned to local broadcasters for lifesaving information. “How people managed to stay alive during the storm was to watch James Spann,” commented Mike Murphy. Murphy is the general manager of TV station ABC 33/40, where Spann works as the chief meteorologist.

The public’s reliance on television forecasters shoots holes in arguments by the Federal Communications Commission that electromagnetic spectrum used by broadcasters could be put to better use elsewhere.

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