Delaying emergency alert system messages

A data processing system adapted to provide emergency alerts during presentation of multimedia programs, the data processing system comprising:

• a first interface adapted for receiving an emergency alert;
• a processor enabled for displaying an indication of the emergency alert as an overlay during a presentation of a multimedia program;
• and
• a second interface adapted for responding to receiving a user input by removing the displaying of the emergency alert while continuing the presentation of the multimedia program.

A plurality of computer readable instructions stored on at least one tangible computer readable medium, the instructions including instructions for:

• encoding a multimedia program;
• encoding an emergency alert message;
• displaying the multimedia program and the emergency alert message, wherein the emergency alert message overlays a portion of the multimedia program;
• and
• receiving a user input for temporarily stopping the displaying of the emergency alert message, wherein in response to the user input, the multimedia program is displayed without the emergency alert message.