Goto Section: 11.47 | 11.52 | Table of Contents
FCC 11.51
Revised as of October 1, 2011
Goto Year:2010 |
2012
§ 11.51 EAS code and Attention Signal Transmission requirements.
(a) Analog and digital broadcast stations must transmit, either
automatically or manually, national level EAS messages and required
tests by sending the EAS header codes, Attention Signal, emergency
message and End of Message (EOM) codes using the EAS Protocol. The
Attention Signal must precede any emergency audio message. After
January 1, 1998, the shortened Attention Signal may only be used as an
audio alert signal and the EAS codes will become the minimum signaling
requirement for National level messages and tests.
(b) When relaying EAS messages, EAS Participants may transmit only the
EAS header codes and the EOM code without the Attention Signal and
emergency message for State and local emergencies. Pauses in video
programming before EAS message transmission should not cause television
receivers to mute EAS audio messages. No Attention Signal is required
for EAS messages that do not contain audio programming, such as a
Required Weekly Test.
(c) By the effective dates provided in § 11.11(a), all analog and
digital radio and television stations shall transmit EAS messages in
the main audio channel. Effective December 31, 2006, all DAB stations
shall also transmit EAS messages on all audio streams. Effective
December 31, 2006, all DTV broadcast stations shall also transmit EAS
messages on all program streams.
(d) By the effective dates provided in § 11.11(a), analog and digital
television broadcast stations shall transmit a visual message
containing the Originator, Event, Location and the valid time period of
an EAS message. If the message is a video crawl, it shall be displayed
at the top of the television screen or where it will not interfere with
other visual messages.
(e) Analog class D non-commercial educational FM stations as defined in
§ 73.506 of this chapter, digital class D non-commercial educational FM
stations, analog Low Power FM (LPFM) stations as defined in § § 73.811
and 73.853 of this chapter, digital LPFM stations, analog low power TV
(LPTV) stations as defined in § 74.701(f) of this chapter, and digital
LPTV stations as defined in § 74.701(k) of this chapter are not
required to have equipment capable of generating the EAS codes and
Attention Signal specified in § 11.31.
(f) Analog and digital broadcast station equipment generating the EAS
codes and the Attention Signal shall modulate a broadcast station
transmitter so that the signal broadcast to other EAS Participants
alerts them that the EAS is being activated or tested at the National,
State or Local Area level. The minimum level of modulation for EAS
codes, measured at peak modulation levels using the internal
calibration output required in § 11.32(a)(4), shall modulate the
transmitter at the maximum possible level, but in no case less than 50%
of full channel modulation limits. Measured at peak modulation levels,
each of the Attention Signal tones shall be calibrated separately to
modulate the transmitter at no less than 40%. These two calibrated
modulation levels shall have values that are within 1 dB of each other.
(g) Analog cable systems and digital cable systems with fewer than
5,000 subscribers per headend and wireline video systems and wireless
cable systems with fewer than 5,000 subscribers shall transmit EAS
audio messages in the same order specified in paragraph (a) of this
section on at least one channel. The Attention signal may be produced
from a storage device. Additionally, these analog cable systems,
digital cable systems, and wireless cable systems:
(1) Must install, operate, and maintain equipment capable of generating
the EAS codes. The modulation levels for the EAS codes and Attention
Signal for analog cable systems shall comply with the aural signal
requirements in § 76.605 of this chapter,
(2) Must provide a video interruption and an audio alert message on all
channels. The audio alert message must state which channel is carrying
the EAS video and audio message,
(3) Shall transmit a visual EAS message on at least one channel. The
message shall contain the Originator, Event, Location, and the valid
time period of the EAS message. If the visual message is a video crawl,
it shall be displayed at the top of the subscriber's television screen
or where it will not interfere with other visual messages.
(4) May elect not to interrupt EAS messages from broadcast stations
based upon a written agreement between all concerned. Further, analog
cable systems, digital cable systems, and wireless cable systems may
elect not to interrupt the programming of a broadcast station carrying
news or weather related emergency information with state and local EAS
messages based on a written agreement between all parties.
(5) Wireless cable systems and digital cable systems with a requirement
to carry the audio and video EAS message on at least one channel and a
requirement to provide video interrupt and an audio alert message on
all other channels stating which channel is carrying the audio and
video EAS message, may comply by using a means on all programmed
channels that automatically tunes the subscriber's set-top box to a
pre-designated channel which carries the required audio and video EAS
messages.
(h) Analog cable systems and digital cable systems with 10,000 or more
subscribers; analog cable and digital cable systems serving 5,000 or
more, but less than 10,000 subscribers per headend; and wireline video
systems and wireless cable systems with 5,000 or more subscribers shall
transmit EAS audio messages in the same order specified in paragraph
(a) of this section. The Attention signal may be produced from a
storage device. Additionally, these analog cable systems, digital cable
systems, and wireless cable systems:
(1) Must install, operate, and maintain equipment capable of generating
the EAS codes. The modulation levels for the EAS codes and Attention
Signal for analog cable systems shall comply with the aural signal
requirements in § 76.605 of this chapter. This will provide sufficient
signal levels to operate subscriber television and radio receivers
equipped with EAS decoders and to audibly alert subscribers. Wireless
cable systems and digital cable systems shall also provide sufficient
signal levels to operate subscriber television and radio receivers
equipped with EAS decoders and to audibly alert subscribers.
(2) Shall transmit the EAS audio message required in paragraph (a) of
this section on all downstream channels.
(3) Shall transmit the EAS visual message on all downstream channels.
The visual message shall contain the Originator, Event, Location and
the valid time period of the EAS message. These are elements of the EAS
header code and are described in § 11.31. If the visual message is a
video crawl, it shall be displayed at the top of the subscriber's
television screen or where it will not interfere with other visual
messages.
(4) May elect not to interrupt EAS messages from broadcast stations
based upon a written agreement between all concerned. Further, analog
cable systems, digital cable systems, and wireless cable systems may
elect not to interrupt the programming of a broadcast station carrying
news or weather related emergency information with state and local EAS
messages based on a written agreement between all parties.
(5) Wireless cable systems and digital cable systems with a requirement
to carry the audio and video EAS message on all downstream channels may
comply by using a means on all programmed channels that automatically
tunes the subscriber's set-top box to a pre-designated channel which
carries the required audio and video EAS messages.
(i) Effective December 31, 2006, SDARS licensees shall transmit
national audio EAS messages on all channels in the same order specified
in paragraph (a) of this section.
(1) SDARS licensees must install, operate, and maintain equipment
capable of generating the EAS codes.
(2) SDARS licensees may determine the distribution methods they will
use to comply with this requirement.
(j) Effective May 31, 2007, DBS providers shall transmit national audio
and visual EAS messages on all channels in the same order specified in
paragraph (a) of this section.
(1) DBS providers must install, operate, and maintain equipment capable
of generating the EAS codes.
(2) The visual message shall contain the Originator, Event, Location
and the valid time period of the EAS message. These are elements of the
EAS header code and are described in § 11.31. If the visual message is
a video crawl, it shall be displayed at the top of the subscriber's
television screen or where it will not interfere with other visual
messages.
(3) DBS providers may determine the distribution methods they will use
to comply with this requirement. Such methods may include distributing
the EAS message on all channels, using a means to automatically tune
the subscriber's set-top box to a pre-designated channel which carries
the required audio and video EAS messages, and/or passing through the
EAS message provided by programmers and/or local channels (where
applicable).
(k) If manual interrupt is used as authorized in paragraph (m) of this
section, EAS Encoders must be located so that EAS Participant staff, at
normal duty locations, can initiate the EAS code and Attention Signal
transmission.
(l) EAS Participants that are co-owned and co-located with a combined
studio or control facility, (such as an AM and FM licensed to the same
entity and at the same location or a cable headend serving more than
one system) may provide the EAS transmitting requirements contained in
this section for the combined stations or systems with one EAS Encoder.
The requirements of § 11.32 must be met by the combined facility.
(m) EAS Participants are required to transmit all received EAS messages
in which the header code contains the Event codes for Emergency Action
Notification (EAN), Emergency Action Termination (EAT), and Required
Monthly Test (RMT), and when the accompanying location codes include
their State or State/county. These EAS messages shall be retransmitted
unchanged except for the LLLLLLLL-code which identifies the EAS
Participant retransmitting the message. See § 11.31(c). If an EAS
source originates an EAS message with the Event codes in this
paragraph, it must include the location codes for the State and
counties in its service area. When transmitting the required weekly
test, EAS Participants shall use the event code RWT. The location codes
are the state and county for the broadcast station city of license or
system community or city. Other location codes may be included upon
approval of station or system management. EAS messages may be
transmitted automatically or manually.
(1) Automatic interrupt of programming and transmission of EAS messages
are required when facilities are unattended. Automatic transmissions
must include a permanent record that contains at a minimum the
following information: Originator, Event, Location and valid time
period of the message. The decoder performs the functions necessary to
determine which EAS messages are automatically transmitted by the
encoder.
(2) Manual interrupt of programming and transmission of EAS messages
may be used. EAS messages with the EAN Event code must be transmitted
immediately and Monthly EAS test messages within 60 minutes. All
actions must be logged and include the minimum information required for
EAS video messages.
(n) EAS Participants may employ a minimum delay feature, not to exceed
15 minutes, for automatic interruption of EAS codes. However, this may
not be used for the EAN event which must be transmitted immediately.
The delay time for an RMT message may not exceed 60 minutes.
(o) Either manual or automatic operation of EAS equipment may be used
by EAS Participants that use remote control. If manual operation is
used, an EAS decoder must be located at the remote control location and
it must directly monitor the signals of the two assigned EAS sources.
If direct monitoring of the assigned EAS sources is not possible at the
remote location, automatic operation is required. If automatic
operation is used, the remote control location may be used to override
the transmission of an EAS alert. EAS Participants may change back and
forth between automatic and manual operation.
[ 70 FR 71035 , Nov. 25, 2005, as amended at 71 FR 76220 , Dec. 20, 2006;
72 FR 62135 , Nov. 2, 2007; 71 FR 76220 , Dec. 20, 2006; 72 FR 62135 ,
Nov. 2, 2007]
Goto Section: 11.47 | 11.52
Goto Year: 2010 |
2012
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