EAS activation was not necessary - every local media outlet that was on the air was covering the story. Now, had we known that an attack was coming ahead of time - I would have supported EAS activation 100 percent.
But when every local media outlet (and indeed, every national outlet as well) is covering it, there would be no real reason to activate EAS unless Mayor (at the time) Giuliani felt that he needed to make a statement that wouldn't have been carried by the media. What media wouldn't have carried anything he had to say that day?
About 90% of the channels on DBS and cable would not show anything different without EAS.