Bells Get Emergency Alert Mandate from FCC
Telcos must provide emergency announcements to pay-TV customers under a broad FCC emergency alert system (EAS) order requiring pay-TV providers to carry state and local warnings. Broadcasters, cable operators, DBS providers and telco TV services must accept alerts in a new format within 6 months of getting FEMA standards, Homeland Security Bureau Deputy Policy Div. Chief Tom Beers told the Thurs. agenda meeting. FEMA is to issue Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) guidelines in early 2008 (CD May 30 p2). As expected, the Commission punted on a controversial request by advocacy groups to require stations to broadcast alerts in multiple languages.
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Commissioners said CAP ensures consumers are sent word of storms and other catastrophes in varied ways. CAP lets state and local officials send a single warning deliverable using video, audio and text via multiple platforms, including pay TV and broadcasters. CAP facilitates interoperable networks, said Comr. Adelstein; Comr. Copps said it reduces risk of EAS systems being hacked.
Pay-TV providers must be ready for “next-generation EAS delivery systems” within 180 days of FEMA standards’ arrival, said an FCC press release. Commissioners agreed it’s time to update emergency broadcast systems. “EAS needs to be brought into the digital age,” Copps said: “We need an emergency alert system that is more flexible with the technologies that Americans are adopting in their everyday lives.” Chmn. Martin said: “We need to take advantage of… technological changes to update EAS… Oftentimes, state and local officials are best situated to understand and appreciate the need of the community.”
State and local officials now can trigger mandatory EAS alerts -- a first -- under the Commission order. Previously, only the President could order broadcasters to air EAS announcements, but, as Comr. Copps noted, no federal alert ever was issued. He contrasted that with local authorities’ yearly issuance of hundreds of emergency announcements. Cable operators and broadcasters long have voluntarily carried local messages.
The order provides parity between cable operators and Bells by applying emergency alert rule to all wireline video providers, Homeland Security Bureau Deputy Chief Dana Shaffer told us: “Wireline video providers are subject to the rules in the same manner as cable systems are.” The order seems to cover IPTV video, she added: “It doesn’t distinguish between the technologies used.” Verizon’s FiOS TV already provides state and local EAS warnings, said a company spokesman. AT&T sends “local broadcast” alerts to U-Verse IPTV service subscribers, a company spokesman said: “We are currently working with our vendors to provide all required EAS messages in an IP format, and work is on schedule to achieve deployment consistent with our recent FCC filings.”
Commissioners addressed distribution of storm and other warnings to non-English speakers by issuing a further notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comment on the subject and by pressing broadcasters and advocates to negotiate a compromise over Spanish-language translations. Advocacy group Minority Media & Telecom Council and trade organizations including NAB will have 30 days to update the Homeland Security Bureau on their talks’ progress, once the EAS order is released. The Council and other advocates wanted stations to translate warnings into Spanish and other languages when a foreign- language station in a market is knocked off the air, while broadcasters prefer to get translated announcements from authorities. Within 6 mos. the FCC will issue an order addressing how to deliver EAS alerts to disabled and non- English speakers, it said. - Jonathan Make