FCC Waivers Needed for EAS Equipment that Is Not Operational But Not Defective

By |2026-02-26T11:12:28-06:00February 26th, 2026|Legal News|

In the last three weeks, we have noted three cases where the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau granted waivers to broadcast stations to temporarily disconnect their EAS equipment while changing tower sites (see decisions here, here, and here).  FCC rules require stations to have operating EAS equipment during all hours of operation to receive or... Continue Reading…

ETRS Form One Due Oct. 4 for All EAS Participants

By |2024-08-05T15:41:00-05:00August 5th, 2024|Legal News|

The FCC announced today that all EAS Participants must submit their annual Form One filings no later than October 4, 2024.  EAS Participants are parties subject to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules.  Virtually all broadcast stations, wired and wireless cable television systems, Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service, digital audio broadcasting systems, and wireline video...… Continue Reading

EAS Nationwide Test Scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, 2023

By |2023-08-03T13:06:42-05:00August 3rd, 2023|Legal News|

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) and the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) have announced that a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) will take place on October 4, 2023, at 2:20 pm EDT.   As we previously reported, EAS participants, with limited exceptions, should have already filed their ETRS Form 1 providing the FCC...… Continue Reading

FCC Extends Deadline for Television Stations to Implement Aural Description of Emergency Information

By |2023-05-26T17:19:17-05:00May 26th, 2023|Legal News|

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has largely granted the NAB’s request and will again extend for 18 months to November 26, 2024, the effective date of the FCC’s rule governing accessibility of emergency communications. This rule requires broadcasters to provide, during non-newscast programming, an aural representation of any visual, non-textual emergency information, such as radar...… Continue Reading

ATTENTION. ATTENTION. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

By |2022-12-16T07:52:23-06:00December 16th, 2022|Legal News|

This is the Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth FCC Deadlines Alert System.  The FCC advised today that parties subject to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules (radio and television stations, wired and wireless cable television systems, digital broadcast systems, digital television broadcast stations, Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service, digital cable and digital audio broadcasting systems, and...… Continue Reading

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: September 3, 2022 to September 9, 2022

By |2022-09-11T11:04:37-05:00September 11th, 2022|Legal News|

Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The FCC announced that regulatory fees must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on September 28. In addition, the... Continue Reading…

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