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Frequently Answered Questions
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When accessing RFN on my mobile device, why do video selections not play along with a few other features that don't work or display properly?

Why do RFN pages sometimes contain dead links, different or older content when found using search engines?

Why is information on RFN sometimes dramatically different when it's initially posted than when updated later?

Why don't I receive multiple RFN alerts throughout each day, sometimes not for a day or more and worse, not at all?

Even though I get standard e-mail alerts, why do I NOT receive mobile-specific alerts such as traffic, lockdowns, etc.?

Why do I sometimes receive alerts much later after something happened?

Why did I never receive a mobile alert registration confirmation and no mobile alerts at all?

When I receive RFN traffic alerts, why is the info about them usually not posted on RFN?

In addition to other traffic delay info, why do RFN realtime traffic alerts only include wrecks with injuries and / or serious vehicle / property damage and not other types of wrecks?

Why does RNT continue to do the stupid things they do?

Why do RFN's Facebook & Twitter pages show little to no activity? Is the low number of "likes" on RFN's Facebook page & low follower count on RFN's Twitter page indicative of RFN's true audience?


When accessing RFN on my mobile device, why do video selections not play along with a few other features that don't work or display properly? [ >> back to menu ]

If you are accessing RFN on a mobile device such as a phone or tablet, you should use RFN's dedicated mobile edition at RealFastNews.MOBi - The mobile edition is specifically formatted to display on mobile devices and is currently the ONLY local news website in this market to offer LIVE & On-demand video for PCs AND mobile devices. The mobile edition also features true streaming video so the files are not physically downloaded, therefore, the video is mobile compatible and there is no wait time!


Why do RFN pages sometimes contain dead links, different or older content when found using search engines? [ >> back to menu ]

If RFN's or any website's page is found when using a search engine, there may be a cached page link in addition to the actual live current link to view that page. If you click the cached page link, you will see a snapshot of that page as it appeared when it was saved to that search engine's server. There is also usually a note on the cached page that tells you that it is a cached page along with the date it was saved and that content on the actual live page may have changed since the page was cached. So to prevent viewing older content, avoid clicking cached page links when using search engines.


Why is information on RFN sometimes dramatically different when it's initially posted than when updated later? [ >> back to menu ]

Although providing accurate information is a priorty, another important goal for RFN is the speed of delivering information instead of holding it for hours or sometimes a day like RNT does and others may do. RFN subscribers have made it clear, they want their local news NOW, not when it's convenient for the provider. Information hoarders will claim it's all about getting the facts before even mentioning it. That makes sense, but for media platforms that have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in traditional delivery platforms such as tv & radio studios, print, etc. and in this case newspapers, it's more about holding the info to sell more papers the next day and for other vultures to wait for RNT to do all the work and reconstitute it just shy of copyright infringement. Sadly, this is very common with every media platform up to the highest levels. Instead of rewording someone elses work, RFN sometimes links directly to other providers' stories to ensure that important news beyond RFN's current capacity to cover gets maximum exposure and the original author maintains full credit. Holding info may be the old school method when they could control the flow and timing of information, which is why RNT and other papers are failing every day. But if they're going to survive, they better wake up and get with it and at least make the news known and update it later. (see the RNT obscuring & holding news FAQs below). But enough excuses. Let's get to the facts. When 911 receives calls involving sometimes high energy, dramatic and tragic events, the callers can be overwhelmed with excitement, fear and sometimes they just outright lie. It is up to RFN to attempt to interpret and filter out information that is obviously incorrect but sometimes the absolute facts can't be determined until officials arrive on the scene. So, when you sometimes see information on RFN that is much different when later updated, it's not that is was just made up, dramatized or irresponsibly posted, it is because you are hearing EXACTLY what 911 was told from the original caller or from what an official on the scene knows at that time and has told RFN directly usually just minutes after it happened. Although it is third generation info if viewed on RFN, it's as realtime as it gets and at least you know about it when it happened and can get more facts with later updates. After all, isn't it better to know something now, than not know at all or when it's convenient for the provider?


Why don't I receive multiple RFN alerts throughout each day, sometimes not for a day or more and worse, not at all? [ >> back to menu ]

Let's face it, thankfully, the Rome and Floyd county area is a very safe place to live. Therefore, sometimes it can be kind of boring. RFN gets the same load of press releases that RNT and others get but RFN actually knows its audience content preferences therefore knows what is and is not consistently viewed preventing an oversaturation of press releases. In other words, RFN is not a generic press release vending machine and because of this, RFN will sometimes appear not as "busy" as the others. This means even when there are slow news days you should not expect RFN to show favoritism, post endless press releases or what's on whoever's faceyspaces, bliggidy blogs or tweety pages, pretend that stories are newsworthy and not a favor for a friend or advertiser, overstate "significant" announcements, post annoying, oversized, animated weather maps for simple drops of rain, post stories and/or video and send alerts for kindergarten plays / circuses / weddings / playground parties, easter egg hunts, kite flying, garden club meetings, flower pots, etc. stolen from porches, businesses that change their sign, ceiling, flooring, roofs, parking lots, or paint their building, etc., and let's not forget bias, agendas, misinformation and hypocrisy. Those are just a few examples of what RNT & HTH have been reduced to and it's only getting worse. So, just because you don't receive RFN news alerts on a regular basis whether it's daily or during the week, does not mean you are not subscribed or missing anything. It just means nothing significant is happening. If you stopped receiving e-mail alerts for an extended time, your inbox may be full or your provider or local network administrator may be temporarily blocking certain providers' mail servers such as RFN's. If you're missing mobile alerts, you probably got a new number or switched to another carrier and forgot to update RFN. >> UPDATE ALERTS


Even though I get standard e-mail alerts, why do I NOT receive mobile-specific alerts such as traffic, lockdowns, etc.? [ >> back to menu ]

At first, realtime traffic alerts were sent only to subscribers that at least submitted their mobile number because they were meant to provide valuable traffic info benefitting those that were on the go or mobile. However, because newer mobile devices now have the ability to not only check e-mail but also receive it directly on the device, in 2011 RFN added a new feature that allows subscribers to receive mobile-specific alerts, such as traffic alerts and others, without providing a mobile number. So, if you're an existing subscriber to RFN alerts via e-mail and want to receive mobile-specific alerts but do not want to provide your mobile number, this feature is the solution. To add this feature and see what you've been missing, click here, provide your currently subscribed e-mail, then check the e-mail forwarding box. To see detailed info about this feature, click on the "more info" link next to the checkbox.


Why do I sometimes receive alerts much later after something happened? [ >> back to menu ]

Because RFN sends a large number of alerts, sometimes there are delays in RFN's mail servers, the subscribers' mail servers or both. RFN also sends mobile alerts to mobile devices as e-mails using wireless carrier protocols so they must first be transcoded or converted by your mobile carrier's mail servers from SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) e-mail messages into SMS (Short Message Service) messages. This happens when anyone sends text (SMS) messages as an e-mail and not just RFN. The conversion is usually accomplished in seconds but sometimes there are delays which can cause time sensitive alerts, such as traffic alerts, to be delivered much later and therefore be useless when received too late. So when you receive time sensitive alerts, always compare the sent timestamp to the delivered timestamp to determine if the information is still relevant.


Why did I never receive a mobile alert registration confirmation and no mobile alerts at all? [ >> back to menu ]

Because RFN sends mobile alerts to mobile devices as e-mails using wireless carrier protocols, they must first be transcoded or converted by your mobile carrier's mail servers from SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) e-mail messages into SMS (Short Message Service) messages. This happens when anyone sends text (SMS) messages as an e-mail and not just RFN. You may not be receiving RFN mobile alerts probably because your carrier is actually a subcarrier of a larger network such as, but not limited to, Straight Talk, Net 10, Trac Fone, etc. which are actually subcarriers operated by one of the larger top carriers. Some of these subcarriers do not allow text (SMS) messages to be received from a non-mobile device therefore you cannot receive an RFN alert registration confirmation or mobile alerts because they are originally sent as e-mails and converted to text (SMS) messages as described above. But, if your phone uses a subcarrier and your e-mail account can be viewed or accessed from it, a workaround to receive RFN mobile alerts without using text (SMS) messages is to select the "my e-mail forwards to my mobile device" checkbox on the RFN alert registration page. That feature allows those that don't or can't use text (SMS) messaging to be able to receive RFN mobile specific alerts but you must at least provide an e-mail address to use that feature. To see it now, click here then click more info.


When I receive RFN traffic alerts, why is the info about them usually not posted on RFN? [ >> back to menu ]

RFN traffic alerts are meant to assist those on the go with fast realtime information to avoid congested areas due to roads that have been partially blocked or shut down by debris, large stalled vehicles, serious wrecks with injuries and/or property damage. Posting that info on the website requires another step to access it and drivers want and need the info immediately with a simple message delivered directly to their phone. To get FREE RFN alerts delivered to your e-mail and/or mobile device, click >> PC | >> MOBILE


In addition to other traffic delay info, why do RFN realtime traffic alerts only include wrecks with injuries and / or serious vehicle / property damage and not other types of wrecks? [ >> back to menu ]

There are numerous wrecks reported each day but wrecks with injuries involving occupants, pedestrians and/or serious vehicle/property damage with or without injuries such as collisions, rollovers, fires, load spills, etc. take much longer to process and clear from the road causing longer traffic delays. Wrecks with minor damage are quickly moved off the road rarely affecting traffic flow so alerts for those incidents would not significantly affect drive times.

Why do RFN's Facebook & Twitter pages show little to no activity? Is the low number of "likes" on RFN's Facebook page & low follower count on RFN's Twitter page indicative of RFN's true audience? [ >> back to menu ]

Absolutey not! Be assured, RFN's actual direct e-mail & mobile subscriber base far exceeds RFN's FB & Twitter following. An organization's social media status shouldn't really be used to judge true effectiveness or perceived success because of the many variables such as anonymous, parasitic marketers/spammers that can artificially inflate their "like" or follower numbers to promote their products or services. Then there are those that "like" or following something just because it exists, kind of like an impulse purchase. The RFN Facebook & Twitter pages were created to reserve the RFN username so spammers & internet squatters could not acquire & hold them for ransom like they commonly do with popular domain names. The Twitter page is rarely used and only as a backup when RFN is on the go & can't update the main website while in the field & the Facebook page is intentionally left blank. Here's an interesting question. Why would any informational page for news drive traffic AWAY from their main website where all the PAYING sponsors are located? Also why have the sponsors not caught onto this & said something about it? Additionally, why would a news website operator create duplicates of their main website's content which means more work for them by posting the SAME content somewhere else? Social media sites are perfect for personal use or for businesses that do not have a dedicated website for whatever reason and/or for those that do to reach as many people as possible to sell their products or services. But for a news operation that has a dedicated website to use one or more social media websites, in addition to it, means that their main site is so boring & ineffective they have to use a lure to attract, engage & retain viewers. If you provide what viewers want, they will find it wherever it is. It's just that simple.

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