Washington, DC - Jul 6, 2009 - The National Association of Broadcasters will host a 30-minute webcast featuring Federal Communications Commission and NAB officials on July 14 to encourage broadcasters to participate in the FCC's Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) program. Launched by the FCC in 2007, DIRS is a voluntary, Web-based system that broadcasters can use to report their operational status and to obtain resources needed to stay on the air and serve their local communities during times of disaster. To date, DIRS has provided important benefits for participating broadcasters.

The webcast will include a run-through of the process of obtaining a DIRS account and reporting a station's status during times of crises. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in a live question and answer session with NAB staff and FCC officials.

The webcast will be held at 3:30 p.m. EDT. It is available to NAB members and non-members. Additional information is posted at the NAB website.