CHANGE is COMING

1
CHANGEis COMING
A n d w e r e n o t t a l k i n g a b o
u t v o t i n g !

• In 2009, FEMA is will overhaul the EAS system
• How will it affect your station?!?!
• Kirk Chestnut, Entercom Kansas City
• Aaron Read, WEOS Public Radio for the Finger
  Lakes

2
What is EAS?

• EAS Emergency Alert System
• Nationwide system to distribute emergency
  information across radio TV stations and cable
  TV
• Presidential activations
• Also used for state local alerts
• AMBER, civil emergencies, weather alerts, etc
• Replaced the old EBS network in 1997.

3
What is EAS?

• Required Weekly / Monthly Tests
• This is a test of the emergency alert system
• Duck farts / Data burps modem sounds
• Most states have a relay system
• White House gt State LPs gt Local Stations.
• Gov/State Police gt State LPs gt Local Stations.
• All local stations monitor at least two
  sources
• Everyone has two Local Primary stations (for KC
  radio KCSP 610AM and KCMO 94.9FM)
• Optional NOAA WeatherRadio, NPR Squawk Channel,
  State systems (satellite, internet, etc).

4
Do I have EAS?

• Its required by law, so I sure hope so! (47 CFR
  11.xxx)
• All stations must have an EAS encoder/decoder
  wired into their airchain.
• LPFM stations can be decode-only.
• The point is in a nationwide emergency, the
  President can broadcast a message on every single
  radio/TV station in the country.
• This has never been done.

5
EAS Requirements

• All stations must receive a RWT from their two
  monitored stations each week.
• Must also separately, SEND a RWT of their own.
• All stations must receive forward (send) a RMT
  each month.
• No RWT needed on a RMT week.
• All stations must LOG every EAS action received
  or sent in the official Station Log (47 CFR
  73.1800 73.1820
• Must have copy of your States EAS Plan

6
Station Log

• Station Log must be reviewed each week by the
  official Chief Operator (73.1870)
• If no errors are found, CO must sign date it.
• If errors, detail the error and what the fix is
  (or why its not fixed yet)
• First thing an FCC inspector asks to see is your
  Station Log!

7
EAS - limitations

• EAS has limited data capacity (the modem data
  burps) that have not been utilized.
• Only NATIONAL EAS events (and RWT/RMTs) are
  required.
• State, local, weather, etc are all optional
• Relay nature of alerts is very inefficient,
  prone to error, and slow.

8
EAS and CAP 1.1

• CAP Common Alerting Protocol
• Standard of IPAWS Integrated Public Alert and
  Warning System. Grew out of 2000 NSTC report
  Effective Disaster Warnings
• XML-based, very flexible.
• Part of a general overhaul to the EAS system to
  force greater efficiency grant greater access
  at the state level.

9
FEMA deadline EEK!!

• FEMA has announced they plan to make adoption of
  CAP 1.1 official in Q1 of 2009.
• Means all stations must have CAP-compliant EAS
  gear installed and working within 180 days
• Hideously unrealistic (2-3 years is more likely)
  but FEMA has repeatedly said they will enforce
  that 180 day timeframe.

10
Unfunded Mandate

• Like the EBS gt EAS upgrade in 1997, this is an
  unfunded Federal mandate.
• Cost is likely to be somewhere between 2500 and
  5000 just for equipment.
• Budget high you may have to pay to have someone
  to install the new gear, and train your show.
  These people will be in high demand throughout
  2009.
• START PLANNING NOW!!!

11
Equipment?

• Standard not adopted, so no gear yet.
• Sage DigitalENDEC closest to ready but only
  available for pre-order.
• Only 4 or 5 OEMs that make this stuff.
• Capacity to make new En/Decs for all 11,000
  radio stations within 180 days does not exist
  hence the deadline questions.

12
Participation BIG CHANGE!!!

• New standard gives states the power to mandate
  participation state/local alerts.
• HUGE change from status quo you will have to
  pay a LOT more attention to your State Plan!
• Get friendly with your local SBE Chapter to stay
  informed! (www.sbe.org)
• Be ready for politics / frivolous alerts!

13
Plea for action!

• Whether its fair or not, this is going to happen
  and very likely happen in 2009.
• You cant ignore it the Dept Homeland Security
  is pushing this, so the FCC is likely to enforce
  it.
• Likelihood of inspections is creeping up!
• Must start planning now avoid rush later!

14
Questions

• Tell us your situation,
• well advise as best we can!
• Aaron Read can both be reached via the CBI
  listserv.
• Sign up at www.askcbi.org
• Aarons blog www.friedbagels.com/blog
• These slides available at www.friedbagels.com/cb
  i/