[BC] Re: FCC must ward off FEMA

[Rudman, Richard A]

This may be a lot of things, but it is is not a play by FEMA to take  
over the FCC's administration of EAS. An Executive Order issued over  
the summer directed DHS to become the lead agency for warnings.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060626.html

My personal opinions follow:

For some time now there has not been anyone really in charge of EAS  
at a policy level in or out of the FCC, and that's part of the  
problem. The FCC's existing and continuing role in EAS will most  
likely have more to do with technical standards and compliance than  
policy. There is an open Rulemaking on EAS before the Commission that  
will hopefully change Part 11 rules to migrate EAS to become a less  
obtrusive system for broadcasters and the public to deal with, as  
well as expand public warnings to existing and future personal  
digital devices. If you have not heard of something called the Common  
Alerting Protocol (CAP) in relation to this, you will.

  This move by the Executive Branch was bound to happen. The real  
story will be how it plays out in who they choose to administer a  
national public warning strategy, and if the individuals really  
understand how to do it. There really are people who do understand  
the what and how of it. The question to be answered in the fullness  
of time will be if the people who do understand are chosen to direct  
constructive changes, and if they are given proper support and  
resources to do it.

I am not putting any money down on this, one way or the other.

While I am not speaking for SBE on this at this time, SBE is on top  
of this and will likely report from time to time on what is happening  
through its EAS Committee chaired by Clay Freinwald.

Richard Rudman
Remote Possibilities Tech Consulting
11054 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 700
Studio City, CA 91604
213-447-5392