EAS EAS Broadcast Roles and Responsibilities 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which FCC rule part governs EAS requirements for broadcast stations?
- 47 CFR Part 11 (Correct answer)
- 47 CFR Part 73
- 47 CFR Part 97
- 47 CFR Part 25
Correct answer: 47 CFR Part 11
47 CFR Part 11 is the primary FCC regulation governing the Emergency Alert System, covering equipment, testing, and participation requirements for all EAS Participants.
Question 2: Which types of broadcast stations are required to participate in the EAS?
- All AM, FM, and TV broadcast stations licensed by the FCC (Correct answer)
- Only AM stations
- Only TV stations with news departments
- Only stations with more than 100,000 listeners
Correct answer: All AM, FM, and TV broadcast stations licensed by the FCC
All FCC-licensed AM, FM, and TV broadcast stations are required EAS Participants and must comply with all EAS equipment, testing, and relay requirements.
Question 3: What is the primary responsibility of an EAS Participant during a real emergency alert?
- To immediately relay the alert to their audience without delay (Correct answer)
- To verify the alert's authenticity with local police first
- To notify the FCC before broadcasting
- To assess whether the alert affects their listening area before relaying
Correct answer: To immediately relay the alert to their audience without delay
EAS Participants must immediately relay received alerts to their audience; the SAME encoding already specifies the geographic area, so geographic filtering is done by equipment, not staff.
Question 4: Can a broadcast station choose NOT to relay a Tornado Warning received via EAS?
- No — EAS Participants must relay all mandatory alerts including Tornado Warnings (Correct answer)
- Yes — if their management decides it is unnecessary
- Yes — if they are a music-only station
- Yes — if they notify the FCC within one hour
Correct answer: No — EAS Participants must relay all mandatory alerts including Tornado Warnings
EAS rules require mandatory relay of all EAS activations, including Tornado Warnings; failure to relay is a violation of FCC rules and conditions of license.
Question 5: What is a broadcast station's obligation when it receives an Emergency Action Notification (EAN)?
- Immediately broadcast the EAN and remain on the air until an Emergency Action Termination is received (Correct answer)
- Broadcast the EAN once and return to regular programming
- Contact FEMA to verify the EAN before broadcasting
- Broadcast the EAN only during normal business hours
Correct answer: Immediately broadcast the EAN and remain on the air until an Emergency Action Termination is received
Upon receiving an EAN, stations must immediately activate EAS, broadcast the Presidential message, and remain in EAS mode until an Emergency Action Termination (EAT) is received.
Question 6: Which FCC enforcement action can result from a station's repeated failure to conduct Required Weekly Tests?
- License revocation, fine, or both (Correct answer)
- Only a written warning
- Temporary suspension of broadcast rights for 24 hours
- Mandatory SECC membership
Correct answer: License revocation, fine, or both
The FCC may impose fines, issue citations, or ultimately revoke a broadcast license for repeated or willful failures to comply with EAS requirements.
EAS EAS Broadcast Roles and Responsibilities 1
Which FCC rule part governs EAS requirements for broadcast stations?