It took a long time to get those emergency alerts that interrupt programming on radio and TV stations across the country to work properly. but now for the most part, they deliver a warning when they're needed. But to me, there's still one big thing missing - letting the hosts of radio shows know they've been interrupted so they can take note of what's been said. 

Case in point - Thursday afternoon just after 3:30 PM, when one of those vital warnings aired on radio stations across the GTA. It was a warning from Environment Canada about the possibility of a tornado hitting Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills and other areas of the Golden Horseshoe. 

Fair enough. 

But then when the announcement ended, we were treated to a giggling John Oakley in mid-sentence talking to callers about how they were spanked in schools, and the two hosts of The Rush on CFRB listening to Richard Crouse recounting things none of them liked in movies. 

I realize these alerts interrupt programming and because of the so-called 7-second delay, the on-air people aren't listening to their off air signals. So they have no idea that something serious just went out over their airwaves. When they come back laughing like hyenas, it doesn't do much for their credibility, even though it's not their fault. 

Worse yet, they both went to break shortly after the announcement and came back still unaware of what interrupted their shows minutes earlier. Surely (and no, I'm not calling you Shirley) there must be a light that could flash in either the control room or the studio to tell them they've been cut off and then find out why, so they can either repeat the warning or go to a quickly called guest (in this case, someone from Environment Canada or on AM 640, perhaps Global meteorologists Anthony Farnell or Ross Hull) for more detailed information. 

It's kind of embarrassing when a host keeps on joking and laughing, even as there's a potential for doom to be heading right towards some of their listeners. At the very least, someone from the newsroom should come in and warn them. 

But then again, there's nobody left in many of their newsrooms, so even that wouldn't work. Still, I can't believe there's no way to fix this.