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Don’t
Forget the Basic EAS Rules
 Last
week, on June 13, the FCC issued forfeiture orders to two broadcast
stations for violating the current EAS Rules. In each case the
violations were based on the fact that neither station has its
EAS encoder/decoder properly installed and operational. In one
instance the station’s encoder/decoder was installed but
it was not functioning properly. In the other instance the station
did not own an encoder/decoder because it was co-located with
another station and they shared the EAS equipment. However, the
stations were not co-owned and the Rules allow co-located stations
to share equipment only when the stations are co-owned.
The Emergency
Alert System now falls under the Public Safety and Homeland Security
Bureau of the FCC. It is important to remember that, even though
the FCC is considering a new Next Generation Emergency Alert System,
broadcasters must comply with all the existing regulations contained
in Part 11 of the Commission’s Rules until such time as the
FCC adopts new Rules.
Below
are some of the key EAS rules:
- EAS Participants are responsible for ensuring that EAS Encoders,
EAS Decoders and Attention Signal generating and receiving equipment
used as part of the EAS are installed so that the monitoring
and transmitting functions are available during the times the
stations and systems are in operation.
- If the EAS Encoder or EAS Decoder becomes defective, the
EAS Participant may operate without the defective equipment
pending its repair or replacement for 60 days without further
FCC authority. Entries shall be made in the broadcast station
log showing the date and time the equipment was removed and
restored to service. For personnel training purposes, the required
monthly test script must still be transmitted even though the
equipment for generating the EAS message codes, Attention Signal
and EOM (end of message) code is not functioning.
- If repair or replacement of defective equipment is not completed
within 60 days, an informal request shall be submitted to the
District Director of the FCC field office serving the area in
which the EAS Participant is located for additional time to
repair the defective equipment. This request must explain what
steps have been taken to repair or replace the defective equipment,
the alternative procedures being used while the defective equipment
is out of service, and when the defective equipment will be
repaired or replaced.
- Required monthly tests originate from Local or State Primary
sources. The time and script content will be developed by State
Emergency Communications Committees in cooperation with affected
EAS Participants. Monthly tests must be retransmitted within
60 minutes of receipt by EAS Participants.
- Analog and digital AM, FM, and TV broadcast stations must
conduct tests of the EAS header and EOM codes at least once
a week at random days and times. Effective December 31, 2006,
DAB stations must conduct these tests on all audio streams.
Effective December 31, 2006, DTV stations must conduct these
tests on all program streams.
- EAS Participants must determine the cause of any failure
to receive the required tests or activations and appropriate
entries indicating reasons why any tests were not received must
be made in the broadcast station log for all broadcast streams.
- Automatic interrupt of programming and transmission of EAS
messages are required when facilities are unattended.
Broadcast
personnel should review the EAS Rules to insure that your station
is operating in compliance with the EAS regulations. A complete
list of the Part 11 Rules can be found here: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_07/47cfr11_07.html.
NAB'S
SATELLITE UPLINK OPERATORS TRAINING SEMINAR
September 29 - October 2, 2008
 If
you weren't able to attend this week's NAB Satellite Uplink Operators
Training Seminar, you still have one more opportunity this year.
The course will be offered September 29 - October 2 at NAB's headquarters
in Washington DC. This four-day course is designed to instruct
students in the proper technical and operational practices that
will ensure safe, successful and interference free satellite transmissions.
You can check out a short video piece featuring satellite seminar
instructor Sidney Skjei on the NAB365 Thought Leadership Channel
at: http://nab365.bdmetrics.com/spc-8-10720/nab365-tv.aspx.
For more information call Cheryl Coleridge at (202) 429-5346 or
go to NAB
Satellite Uplink Operators Seminar.
The
June 23, 2008 TV TechCheck is also available in
an Adobe Acrobat file. Please click
here to read the Adobe Acrobat version of TV TechCheck.
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