EAS

Broadcasters Reminded of Obligation to File EAS Form One; ETRS Still Open for Belated Filings and Corrections March 10, 2023

Broadcasters who have not yet made their required Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) Form One filing should do so as soon as possible. As we’ve previously written, broadcasters were required to...

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New 2023 EAS Operating Handbook Available *Download and Complete Now* February 20, 2023

Broadcasters carefully reviewing the FCC’s EAS Test Reporting System (“ETRS”) website in anticipation of the forthcoming February 28th Form One filing deadline might notice an interesting change near the bottom...

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ETRS Now Available for EAS Form One Filing January 6, 2023

The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (“PSHSB”) has announced that the EAS Test Reporting System (“ETRS”) is now open to receive broadcasters’ required EAS Form One Filings.  As...

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February 28, 2023: Extended Deadline to File ETRS Form One December 15, 2022

By Public Notice (the “Notice”) issued this afternoon, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (“PSHSB”) has set a February 28, 2023 deadline for broadcasters to make their annual...

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CISA Identifies Security Vulnerabilities in DASDEC EAS Devices; PSHSB Recommends Broadcaster Precautions December 15, 2022

Last week, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (“PSHSB”) notified many EAS participants (including many broadcasters) of two security vulnerabilities in DASDEC EAS encoder/decoder devices.  The vulnerabilities were...

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EAS Updates: FCC Sets Compliance Deadline for CAP Priority and New Text; Seeks Comment on Rule Changes to Improve EAS Operational Readiness and Cybersecurity November 21, 2022

The Commission continues to adopt and propose new rules regarding the Emergency Alert System (“EAS”), generally focused on improving the existing system and ensuring its operational readiness. The latest FCC...

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Commission Adopts Changes to Emergency Alert System; Appears Likely to Adopt New Cybersecurity NPRM October 18, 2022

The FCC recently released a Report and Order (the “Order”) adopting a number of changes to the way participants in the Emergency Alert System (“Participants”) will disseminate emergency alert messages...

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*EAS VULNERABILITY ISSUE DISCOVERED* FEMA Asks Broadcasters to Take Action to Prevent Unauthorized Access to Emergency Alert System August 3, 2022

According to a recent advisory (the “Advisory”) issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), a vulnerability in EAS encoder/decoder devices (“ENDECS”) has been exposed.  The Advisory warns that if...

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No Current Plans to Conduct 2022 National EAS Test, According to FEMA May 6, 2022

A representative of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) announced at the recent NAB Show that the agency plans to forego this year’s national periodic test of the Emergency Alert...

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FCC Seeks Comment on EAS Accessibility Issues, Including Ways to Improve EAS Clarity and Effectiveness February 11, 2022

Comment deadlines have recently been set for a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (the “NPRM”) and Notice of Inquiry (the “NOI”) aimed at improving the clarity of EAS messages by increasing the congruity between audio...

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