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ER <br /> AL <br /> AMBER Alert and Outdoor Advertising <br /> A Valuable Partnership <br /> What role do digital billboards play in AMBER Alerts? <br /> AMBER Alerts are distributed by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) <br /> based on a strict set of criteria. While local officials make the original request to declare an <br /> AMBER Alert, NCMEC is responsible for distributing the Alert to numerous partners known as <br /> secondary distributors. Outdoor advertising companies owning digital billboards are secondary <br /> distributors. <br /> How do Alerts get to digital billboards? <br /> A proprietary Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) system is linked to NCMEC's <br /> central AMBER Alert database. When an Alert is issued, the OAAA system sends a notification <br /> to participating companies in the relevant jurisdictions with a standardized image for placement <br /> on digital billboards. The entire process usually takes less than 15 minutes. <br /> How are Alerts posted? <br /> Per an agreement with NCMEC, AMBER Alerts take over a digital billboard exclusively for one <br /> hour after they are issued. Every digital billboard in the affected markets runs nothing but the <br /> AMBER Alert during that period. After one hour, the AMBER Alert is placed in rotation with other <br /> advertising for 48 hours or until the Alert ends, whichever comes first. <br /> How uch does it cost to post an Alert? <br /> All space for AMBER Alerts is donated by the participating outdoor advertising companies. <br /> Regular, paid commercial content is preempted by AMBER Alerts. <br /> Why are digital billboards valuable? <br /> NCMEC uses digital billboards because they are able to provide information, including pictures, <br /> to the driving public very quickly. The signs also provide license plate numbers and vehicle <br /> descriptions. The use of pictures is considered extremely valuable by NCMEC. <br /> Who can I contact for more information about digital billboards and AMBER <br /> Alerts? <br /> OAAA's AMBER Alert coordinator is Nicole Hayes. She can be reached at (202) 833-5566. <br />