WGBX 44, Boston - EBS Test, December, 1995

VHS transfer
update: corrected from WGBH

[@nicka727]

Finally everyone was talking about that EBS test and now it’s uploaded. They went for the closing announcement instead of the customary line but it had a female announcer.

[@jeredalmeida1880]

Still feels like a fever dream decades later

[@tpirman1982]

I remember that on WGBH 2 and WGBX 44. I wonder if anyone has the EBS test from WCVB Channel 5 Boston from 80s til approximately 1995, which station WCVB served the Boston, Southeastern Mass and the islands area. The background during the test message after the attention signal had a satellite dish on a blueish background. During the attention signal, if I remember right, it said "Emergency Broadcast System, Official Government Information, Civil Defense Instructions". If I remember right, the voice was the late Frank Averuch".

[@mikesmemoriesfromthepast89]

I remember that EBS test. And it's WGBX 44, not WGBH 44. WGBH is actually Channel 2. Channels 2 and 44 are our stations for my family. And the female announcer should have said in the beginning, "This is a test. This station is conducting a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test." It's just like what happened on the WAVY EBS test and the KTVO EBS test back in 1992.

[@ChuckD79]

Based on those two test sequences, it's my understanding that stations were allowed to rearrange the opening/closing spiels at their discretion, provided they got all the key points in someplace.

[@mikesmemoriesfromthepast89]

@@ChuckD79 Oh, yeah.

[@bytearchives]

This was the late EBS era before it got replaced with EAS two years later

[@joshuagalka3526]

They used the closing spiel for the emergency broadcast system at the beginning...

[@mikesmemoriesfromthepast89]

Just like WAVY-TV and KTVO-TV in 1992.

[@Super_Lamar_Berry]

I think the stations are still using this today

[@titanicf0g]

Hi, would you be willing to rip the b side of your Food For Feet - Cross Culture 12" single?

[@WolfThane]

I wonder how many scientist they consulted to get the right feeling of discomfort in the tone they played

[@jareddicarlo7816]

There seems to be another voice underneath her. I’m guessing they had her re-record it at some point without properly erasing the original audio?

[@denelson83]

WGB🇽, actually.

[@moonnyxx]

fr this would be less scary if they didnt use a red background

[@danielruggiero5230]

I remember this one growing up [WGBH & WGBX are my PBS channels as well] Did you ever see WSBE’s test card as well [the one with the black screen and 4 ovals that spelt t-e-s-t]?

[@mikesmemoriesfromthepast89]

So did I. And no, I didn't remember that. My family didn't have the tape.

[@mikesmemoriesfromthepast89]

@@AlexaPerezx Nope. Sorry.

[@danielruggiero5230]

The announcer sounds a lot like the Amazon Alexa voice

[@mikesmemoriesfromthepast89]

Well, that was WAY before Amazon Alexa.

[@daniellebaskin4533]

😭😭😭😭😭😱😱