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Budget Now for EAS Upgrades

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FCC-mandated changes to the Emergency Alert System are scheduled to go into effect on December 12. These changes may require software and/or hardware updates that broadcasters should budget for now.

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FCC Approves Michigan State EAS Plan

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Michigan’s updated Emergency Alert System plan has been approved by the FCC.  The MAB and State Emergency Communications Committee (SECC) received notice of the approval on December 29.

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FCC Issues Alert on DASDEC EAS Equipment

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On November 23, 2022, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an Advisory on security vulnerabilities in DASDEC EAS encoder/decoder devices sold by Digital Alert Systems (formerly Monroe Electronics).

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FCC Looks at EAS Rules – Requires That Broadcast Alerts Default to CAP, and Seeks Comments on Securing the System

David Oxenford

At each of the last two of the FCC’s recent regular monthly open meetings, the Commission addressed EAS issues that affect broadcasters. In one case, it adopted new rules that will, among other things, require that broadcasters use on-air the “IPAWS” internet-delivered emergency message in the CAP format, if the broadcaster receives the alert in both the CAP and traditional over-the-air formats.

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Statewide Tornado Drill: Wednesday, March 23

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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared  March 20-26 to be Michigan’s Severe Weather Awareness Week.  Broadcasters and Emergency Management partners statewide are encouraging Michiganders to conduct a statewide tornado drill at 1 p.m. ET Wednesday, March 23. Broadcaster participation will include a EAS Required Monthly Test at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23.  As with all…

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Michigan National EAS Test Summary

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On August 11, the FCC and FEMA conducted the National Period Test (NPT) of the Emergency Alert System, using the “daisy chain” exclusively throughout the country, starting with the Primary Entrance Point stations (PEP) as well as additional feeds through NPR, Premiere Radio Networks and Sirius/XM. Here in Michigan, WJR-AM (Detroit), the designated PEP for…

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FCC Reminds Television Stations of EAS Obligation to Persons with Disabilities

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On July 21, the Enforcement Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an advisory to remind Emergency Alert System (EAS) Participants of the requirements to ensure that EAS alerts are visually and aurally accessible.  This advisory is targeted at television broadcast stations, analog and digital cable systems, wireless cable systems, wireline video systems and…

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Sage Issues Update and NPT Advisory

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Sage Alerting Systems has released a bulletin regarding their Digital ENDEC model 3644 to users in the United States, covering two issues: A) FEMA Signing Certificate updates: Action required before August 21, 2021. A signing certificate used by FEMA to validate CAP alerts will expire on Aug 21, 2021 at 21:00:00 UTC. Sage has released…

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FCC Releases New EAS Handbook

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The 2021 version of the FCC’s Emergency Alert System Operating Handbook is now available, replacing the 2017 version. FCC rules require that a copy of the Handbook be maintained by stations and be immediately available to staff responsible for authenticating messages and initiating actions. As part of the preparations for the upcoming August nationwide EAS…

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FCC Approves Repeating EAS Alerts

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The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday (6/17) unanimously approved several updates to its rules governing the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The FCC concluded alert repetition can be integrated into alert origination software as an automated function. That will allow the alert originator to program how, when, and for which EAS event codes it will need…

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