EAS EAS Broadcast Roles and Responsibilities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'EAS Participant' mean under FCC rules?
- Any AM, FM, TV, cable, satellite, or other service subject to FCC EAS rules (Correct answer)
- Only radio stations that choose to participate voluntarily
- Only stations located in tornado-prone states
- Only large-market stations with 24/7 staffing
Correct answer: Any AM, FM, TV, cable, satellite, or other service subject to FCC EAS rules
An EAS Participant is any broadcast, cable, satellite, or other service that the FCC has designated as subject to EAS rules, encompassing a wide range of media entities.
Question 2: What must a cable system do when it receives an EAS alert affecting its service area?
- Interrupt programming on all channels to carry the EAS audio and/or video message (Correct answer)
- Only carry the alert on its local access channel
- Display a text crawl without interrupting audio
- Forward the alert to local TV stations only
Correct answer: Interrupt programming on all channels to carry the EAS audio and/or video message
Cable systems must interrupt programming on all channels to carry the EAS alert, ensuring all subscribers receive the emergency message regardless of what channel they are watching.
Question 3: What responsibility do satellite radio services like SiriusXM have under EAS rules?
- They must transmit EAS alerts on their channels when they affect the relevant geographic area (Correct answer)
- They are exempt from EAS because they are national broadcasters
- They only carry Presidential-level EAN alerts
- They must simply log when an EAS alert occurs in their coverage area
Correct answer: They must transmit EAS alerts on their channels when they affect the relevant geographic area
Satellite radio services are EAS Participants and must carry EAS alerts on their channels, particularly for the geographic areas their content serves.
Question 4: What is the relationship between the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)?
- EAS and WEA are parallel but separate systems; EAS serves broadcast/cable while WEA serves cellular networks (Correct answer)
- WEA is a subset of EAS that uses the same relay chain
- EAS replaced WEA after 2012
- EAS generates WEA alerts automatically
Correct answer: EAS and WEA are parallel but separate systems; EAS serves broadcast/cable while WEA serves cellular networks
EAS and WEA are distinct but complementary alerting systems — EAS delivers alerts through broadcast and cable infrastructure while WEA reaches cell phone users through cellular networks.
Question 5: What must an EAS Participant ensure before originating a local EAS alert (not just relaying one)?
- They have proper authorization from the appropriate authority before originating (Correct answer)
- They file a form with the FCC within 24 hours
- They notify the SECC in advance
- They get written permission from their state emergency manager
Correct answer: They have proper authorization from the appropriate authority before originating
Stations that originate EAS alerts must have proper authorization from civil or emergency management authorities to avoid issuing false alerts.
Question 6: What penalty did a Montana broadcaster receive for transmitting a hacked false EAS alert in 2013?
- A $25,000 FCC fine (Correct answer)
- License revocation
- Criminal prosecution under federal law
- A 30-day suspension of broadcast operations
Correct answer: A $25,000 FCC fine
A Montana TV station was fined $25,000 by the FCC after broadcasting a hacked fake EAS alert warning of zombie attacks, violating rules against unauthorized EAS activations.
EAS EAS Broadcast Roles and Responsibilities 2
What does 'EAS Participant' mean under FCC rules?