Method and apparatus for transmitting emergency alert messages

A set top box in communication with an interactive television network, the set top box comprising a controller to:

• receive a notification signal from a network server of the interactive television network, the notification signal being associated with an emergency alert message received by the network server from an emergency alert system;
• determine a language for presenting the emergency alert message;
• select a first multicast of the emergency alert message from a group of multicasts based on the determined language, each of the group of multicasts of the emergency alert message being in a different language;
• transmit a request to the network server to join the first multicast of the emergency alert message;
• and
• receive the first multicast of the emergency alert message.

A method of communicating an emergency alert message of a public emergency alert system, the method comprising:

• receiving a notification signal from a network server of an interactive television network, the notification signal being associated with the emergency alert message received by the network server from the public emergency alert system;
• determining a language for presenting the emergency alert message;
• receiving at least one of a first and second multicast of the emergency alert message;
• and
• presenting the emergency alert message in the determined language, wherein the presented emergency alert message is obtained by the set top box based on at least one of:
• selecting the first multicast of the emergency alert message from a group of multicasts based on the determined language, wherein each of the group of multicasts of the emergency alert message are in a different language;
• and
• translating the second multicast into the determined language.