Three Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) giants and XM Satellite Radi...

time to cable, satellite TV and satellite radio, as well as other services(CD Nov 4 p4). Extending EAS to DTH video services also meant stretching them to the FSS operators from which DTH operators buy Ku-band satellite capacity. But last week, Intelsat, PanAmSat and SES Americom asked the FCC to leave FSS out of the requirements and to shift the burden of EAS rules directly to DTH-FSS program distributors. Should FSS operators still be required to enforce EAS rules on DTH clients, however, the FSS operators asked that contracts already signed shouldn’t be included. The FSS operators said they can’t require program distributors to comply with EAS under their current contracts, and asked the Commission to “expressly provide that the rules do not apply to FSS space segment sold to third parties prior to the effective date of the new rules.” Lastly, the FSS operators asked the FCC to exempt foreign DTH/FSS from EAS regulations. DTH programming directed outside the U.S., but which is also available in the U.S., shouldn’t be burdened with EAS, they said, arguing it “highly improbable” that foreign distributors would preempt programming for announcements from the President of the U.S. In its comments to the FCC, XM simply asked that it not be required to test EAS alerts on all of its channels on a weekly and monthly basis. “The EAS testing regime for satellite radio operators as adopted is unduly burdensome, confusing to subscribers, and fails to meet the intent of the testing requirement given the unique attributes of satellite radio systems,” XM said. The firm proposed an alternative testing regime which would have EAS tests broadcast simultaneously on every XM channel only once-yearly. Weekly and monthly tests of EAS would occur on XM’s traffic and weather channels instead, they suggested.